The Blood of Strangers
by carmen-085
Summary: After breaking off her engagement with Luke, Andy goes undercover with Swarek in a high profile drug case that will put both of their lives in danger
1. Secrets

"**The Blood of Strangers"**

**Author: **carmen_085

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Rookie Blue or any of the characters in it

**Summary: **After breaking off her engagement with Luke, Andy goes undercover with Swarek in a high profile drug case that will put both of their lives in danger

**Chapter One**

"_Tell me what you want to hear_

_Something that were like those years_

_I'm sick of all the insincere_

_So I'm gonna give all my secrets away"_

The house was dark and quiet as she sat on the bed. Her eyes trailed over to the bag sitting near the door. They were engaged. They were going to be married in a week. How could he do something like this? How could he be so insincere, so hurtful, so weak? More than that, how could she have been so stupid, so blind, so trusting? Never in a million years did she think that Luke would cheat on her. He was supposed to be a good guy, the safe choice. Everyone told her so. She wished she wouldn't have believed them.

Exhaling deeply her eyes moved to the lock box on the dresser. It was Jo's ring. It was never hers; she just found it by mistake. Andy wondered if Luke had ever really intended to propose to her or if he was just trying to cover his ass after she found the ring. Slowly rising from the bed, Andy's eyes scanned the room. This was supposed to be their home; now it felt foreign and strange. It felt cold and she couldn't deny the sudden urge to run. Grabbing her bag she started down the stairs.

Andy froze mid step when she heard the front door open. Steadying herself against the wall she exhaled loudly. She had nothing to be ashamed of; he was the one who had screwed up. Still, she didn't want to see him. She didn't want to cry, again.

"Andy? Are you home?" Luke froze when he saw her emerge from the shadows with her bag in hand. She knew. He opened his mouth to speak some flimsy excuse but her glare instantly silenced him.

"I'm leaving. I put Jo's ring in the lock box. Don't call me…ever." She pushed past him to the door.

"Andy, don't do this. Andy…I'm sorry. I made a…" before he finished the door slammed loudly.

Andy stood on the sidewalk for a minute. Tears were threatening to spill over her face but she wouldn't let them. She needed to figure out what to do next. Funny, maybe she should have thought about that a little sooner. Sighing, she started walking toward Traci's house. Hoping that her friend was home, she pulled out her cell phone and hastily dialed her number. Andy's heart dropped as Traci's voicemail picked up. Her bag was getting heavier and heavier as she trudged toward the nearest park bench. Throwing everything aside she sat down feeling a little defeated. Pulling out her phone Andy mentally went over her options. There was Chris and Dov; they would do anything for her. Groaning she thought of how it would feel to explain this whole situation to them and quickly decided against it. Not to mention the fact that Gail was also shacking up over there and she did not want to talk to Gail right now. There was also her dad; she could always stay with him. Rubbing her finger over the phone she contemplated it for a moment before shutting the phone all together. He had enough to deal with right now trying to stay sober and all; he didn't need to hear about her problems too. She also thought about checking into a hotel for the night but realized that wasn't possible since she only had fifty dollars in her bank account until payday. She used almost everything else for the down payment on the house. Stupid…so stupid. Leaning forward she rested her face in her hands completely defeated. She had no idea what to do.

Andy picked up her bag and put it on the bench. Turning her body, she lay on her back using the bag as a pillow. Staring up at the stars Andy exhaled slowly watching as her breath crystallized in the cold night air. Pulling her hat down over her forehead she crossed her arms over her chest in an attempt to keep warm. Obviously she wasn't going to sleep on the bench all night, she just needed to a break to try and figure out where to go. Closing her eyes she willed her chaotic brain to shut itself off. Taking a deep breath she concentrated on how the cold air felt moving in and out of her lungs. She studied how the hard wood felt against her back and the occasional sound of the passing car. It was beginning to snow as she let her lips part slightly feeling the brushing of the tiny perfect flakes against her face. Somewhere in the distance she heard footsteps on the sidewalk coming closer. Initially she was alarmed until she realized the footfalls belonged to someone who was running. Quick and light, Andy ran enough to know the difference between someone who was running for exercise and someone who was running to get away. Without even opening her eyes she knew this person was running for exercise and therefore probably had little interest in robbing, raping, or violating her in any way. Whether it was her cop instinct kicking in or just plain ambivalence, she didn't bother to open her eyes.

The footfalls came closer then abruptly stopped, "What the hell?" Andy jolted upright on the bench. Breathing heavy she stared at the person in front of her clearly surprised.

"Sam? What the hell are you doing here?" Andy's partner stood in front of her wearing sweatpants and a fleece sweatshirt. Adjusting the cap on his head he gestured toward her with the same level of surprise.

"I should ask you the same thing." Sam sat down next to her uninvited as he wiped his nose with the back of his gloved hand.

Andy scowled at him for interrupting her moment of peace. "I didn't know you ran?"

Shrugging his shoulders, Sam tried to appear nonchalant despite the fact his instincts were in overdrive. Why was she laying on a park bench at night? Why did she have a bag? Where was Callahan? Why did she look so upset? Pursing his lips for moment Sam decided not to press it right now, "Well I gotta do something to stay in shape. I mean, some rookie tackled me last year…." He trailed off giving her a sideways smirk.

Andy didn't want to smile. She wanted to be upset. Rolling her eyes she looked away before the corners of her mouth could turn upwards. Sam stretched out next to her putting his arm behind her on the bench. Andy didn't want to tell him what happened. She didn't want to cry in front of him or get back into everything. Leaning back against the bench she could feel his arm behind her back. It felt warm and comforting but that was no surprise to her. Even though Luke was her fiancé, Sam was always her best friend. It seemed strange. After all, your fiancé should be your best friend, right? Maybe that was her first clue that the whole Luke situation was a mistake. Andy could feel Sam staring at her. She wanted to tell him everything right there. He was her best friend and she didn't think there was ever a time when she felt like she couldn't tell him something. Shivering she hugged her arms tighter to her chest.

Sam watched as Andy teetered on the edge of a meltdown. He knew that something was wrong. She was his best friend. They trusted each other with everything and McNally was never really one to hold much back. Normally he couldn't get her to shut up. Sam watched as she shivered. Staring at her he had the overwhelming want to make everything better. He didn't want to see her like this. Slipping his glove off, he reached for one of her hands. Smoothly he interlaced his fingers with hers and was genuinely surprised when she didn't pull back. Leaning close to her he spoke with sincerity, "Andy…tell me."

That was it. That was all it took. The feeling of his warm hand against hers and the genuineness of his words were enough to push her right over the edge. "Luke cheated on me." Andy couldn't say anything else, and frankly she didn't have to. Sam didn't need to know all the details, although, he was honestly surprised. He was thinking that maybe they had a fight and she had left for the night. He never thought Callahan would be so stupid to cheat on a girl like Andy. Tears were running down Andy's face although she was silent. Pulling his hand from her grasp, Sam wrapped his arm around her shoulders pulling her close to him. He didn't say anything. He didn't know what to say. So he sat there in silence. Andy rested her head on his shoulder and exhaled loudly. She didn't want to be like this in front of Sam but she couldn't help it. She was so emotionally wrung out from the past few hours that she didn't have any fight left. He just made her feel so warm and comfortable she didn't ever want to move.

Sam's heart broke for Andy as she leaned against him. She didn't deserve any of this. They sat there for a few minutes for Sam broke the comfortable silence, "Andy it's getting pretty cold out here." Her face was red from crying as she pulled away from him.

"I called Traci, to see if I could crash there. She just hasn't called me back yet." Sam shrugged his shoulders, looking at her quizzically.

"So what are you planning to do? Sleep on this bench?" Andy didn't want to be defensive but she couldn't help it.

"What does it matter?" Sam shook his head at her.

"Don't be ridiculous. We're partners, you can crash at my place tonight." Oh no. That was not going to happen. Andy didn't want to go back there after what happened the night of the blackout. Especially not tonight. Her and Luke had been broken up a couple of hours and she was already going over to Sam's. No. She would sleep on the bench first.

"I don't know, Sam." Sitting back he nodded. He understood her hesitancy. He also wasn't going to leave her sitting on this bench alone.

"Look, Andy. I know you're thinking this looks bad since you and Callahan have not yet been split up for a whole day but I'm not leaving you here alone. You're my partner ; I want to help you out. I want to be there for you. That's all." Andy was taken aback not only by his honestly but also by the way the words rolled so easily off his tongue. Reaching over he gave her hand a quick squeeze before looking at her expectantly.

Sam could see the hesitancy in her face so he quickly came up with another suggestion. He didn't want to force her to do something she wasn't comfortable with but he also couldn't help but to feel slightly hurt by her uncertainty. "Tell you what, walk back to my place with me and if you're still unsure I'll give you a ride wherever you want to go." Raising his eyebrows, he smiled at her. There was no way she would turn him down.

As much as she tried to resist him, Andy couldn't help but to let a small smile play across her lips. "Well, it is pretty cold out." Sam stood up from the bench knowing that he had just won. Slinging her bag over his shoulder he started walking away.

"I'm walking, McNally. I hope you decide to get off that bench before I freeze to death," he called over his shoulder as he started down the street.

Pushing herself up, Andy walked over to Sam. "Well thank God!" Andy was slightly appreciative that he was trying to keep the mood light.

"How far did you run?" Sam was a little surprised to hear her voice.

"Oh I don't know…I think about five miles." Andy smiled a little.

"Yeah I guess you would have to. I heard that rookie who tackled you is pretty fast."

Sam smiled at her, "Yeah she's alright." They settled into a comfortable silence and Andy was glad that he wasn't asking any questions.

Sam glanced at her as they walked down the darkened street. He had million questions. It wasn't the right time though. She would tell him when she was ready. Rounding the corner, Andy was relieved that their trek was almost over. Her teeth chattered as she struggled to put one numb leg in front of the other. "We're almost there." Sam's voice interrupted her thoughts. Andy mechanically nodded as she kept her eyes trained on the ground. Sam was a little sad to see his truck sitting on the street. He was sure that Andy would want him to drive her somewhere else. To be comforted by someone else. The thought of her wanting to be away from him made him cringe. Stopping between the truck and the door of his house, Sam looked at her expectantly.

Even though they had barely said two words to each other, Andy was enjoying just having someone there. She was enjoying it so much that she hadn't thought of what to do next. Pulling her phone out of her pocket she checked to see if Traci called her back. Flipping the phone open it revealed no messages and no missed calls. It wasn't that she didn't want to stay with Sam, she did. It was just so complicated between them after the blackout. People would talk about them and…she just had so much already on her plate she didn't need to add any drama with Sam to that. Meeting his eyes she saw nothing but genuine concern. "I'll stay." Great job, Andy she internally berated herself. Why did he have that effect on her? No matter how much she rationalized something in her head, one look from Sam made her forget it all.

Sam hesitated before starting up the stairs. He felt bad, like he had just guilted her into doing something she didn't want to. Turning around sharply, he almost ran into her. Sam stopped for a moment, regarding her seriously "Andy, if you don't want to, I understand."

Closing her eyes, Andy started moving her lips before she could think about it, "I want to, Sam." It was the truth, and she was too tired and too cold to think of anywhere else to go right now. Andy didn't miss the relief that washed over her partner's face when she didn't turn and run. It was an unintentional glimpse of just how much he really cared for her.

The house was dark and quiet as Sam flipped on some lights. The wave of heat that hit them when they walked in the door was welcomed as they both stood there shivering noticeably. "Well, make yourself at home." Sam gave her a brief tour before excusing himself to his bedroom to change. Andy sat down on the couch. Taking her coat and shoes off she found the nearest blanket and wrapped her self up it in. Pulling her knees to her chest, she rested on forehead down. She was at her partner's house right now because Luke cheated on her. No matter how many times she told herself, it didn't seem real.

Sam quickly changed his cloths only to find Andy wrapped up on his couch. Her face was down and he worried that she might be crying. A wave of awkwardness came over him as he stood there motionless. The last thing Sam wanted was to make Andy feel awkward or guilty around him so he quickly snapped out of it and moved toward the couch. Andy felt Sam sit next to her as she slowly raised her face. Just as he had thought; she was crying.

It broke his heart to see her like this, and that pain was evident all over his face. "Andy…" he whispered.

Burying her face in the blanket, she began to cry more noticeably. "Oh my God, Sam I just can't believe this! We were supposed to get married next week and Luke cheats on me with Jo. He never loved me, Sam." Andy kept her face away from him as she moaned on and on.

Sam just sat not saying a word. There were plenty of words that he wanted to say but right now he just let her go. "What's wrong with me? What did I do to make him not love me?" That was it, he couldn't sit by and listen to this anymore. Suddenly, Sam jumped up from the couch. This action caused Andy to jump a little as the look on his face scared her.

Seeing this, Sam took a deep breath and sat down in front of her on the coffee table. Taking her hand in his own, he met her eyes with the most sincerity he could muster. "Andy, listen to me. You are one hundred percent the real deal. Callahan is fucking stupid and he will regret this for the rest of his life. You did nothing to deserve this so don't even think that…" Sam paused for a moment softening his voice a little, "Honestly, I think you're amazing. You're my best friend, Andy, and I am truly sorry from the bottom of my heart for ever telling you that Callahan was a good guy. I'm sorry." Sam stopped a little embarrassed for how honest he was with her and a little happy with how good that all sounded. It should sound good, he had been thinking of what to say for the last hour. Andy's eyes glazed over with a fresh round of tears as she stared at her partner.

"Well, Sam Swarek, who would have thought you could be so sweet." Andy squeezed his hand before letting go.

Sam smirked at her before sitting back down on the couch. "Yeah, well just don't tell anyone, ok?"

Andy smiled, "It will be our secret." Wiping her eyes, Andy got up and went into the bathroom to change. It had been a long day and she was exhausted. While she was gone, Sam went to his bedroom and retrieved a blanket and some pillows. He had every intention of offering her his bed. Making himself comfortable on the couch he flipped the TV.

"What are you doing? I'm not letting you sleep on the couch in your own house." Andy stood in front of him wearing flannel pajama pants and a sweatshirt looking quite surprised.

"Forget it, Andy. You're taking the bed. I don't want to hear anything about it either."

"Sam, I feel weird making you sleep on the couch. I don't want…" Before she could finish he was up and guiding her toward the bedroom.

"Come on, I'll show you how nice it is and you won't want to leave, I promise." Smiling at him Andy didn't have any energy left to fight with him.

She had to admit, Sam's bed was very comfortable. Snuggling under the covers, she looked up at her partner's pleased expression. "See, what did I say?"

"Hmm…It's almost as nice and I remember." Sam looked at little shocked before he saw the wide grin on his partner's face. They both laughed at each other, before Andy's expression grew serious. "Thank you….for everything."

"Anytime, McNally." Turning to leave, he was stopped by her voice.

"Hey Sam…" He paused for a moment noticing the awkward expression on her face. "Can I hug you?" Never in a million years did he think that was going to come out next. Andy didn't miss the look of surprise on his face so she quickly added, "You know like friends…nothing awkward."

Sam laughed a little before coming back toward the bed and bending down. "No, I want a real hug." He smiled at her. Truthfully he couldn't have been happier right now. Andy jumped out of bed so that she was standing in front of him before wrapping her arms around his neck. Sam didn't wait as he automatically wrapped his own arms around her back. They stood there for a few minutes. It was perfect.

Just before pulling away, Andy whispered in his ear, "You're my best friend, and you always have been." Sam exhaled loudly, he could have melted into a puddle right there. He smiled as Andy pulled away and got back into bed. "Good night, Sam."

Turning the light off he headed out the door, "Good night, Andy. Get some rest."

Sam quietly closed the door behind him as he flopped down on the couch. His body still tingled in all the places she was touching him. It felt great. Closing his eyes, he wasn't sure if he had ever been so emotionally attached to someone as he was to Andy. There's nothing in this world that he wouldn't do for her. Drifting off, Sam felt more content than he had ever felt in his entire life.

**Above Lyrics are from One Republic's "Secrets"**

**I love reviews !**

**Lots of exciting undercover action to come!**


	2. Away from the Sun

"**The Blood of Strangers"**

**Author: **carmen_085

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Rookie Blue or any of the characters in it

**Summary: **After breaking off her engagement with Luke, Andy goes undercover with Swarek in a high profile drug case that will put both of their lives in danger

**Chapter Two**

"_And now again I've found myself _

_So far down, away from the sun_

_That shines the life away from me"_

The morning light peeked through the slats of the blind landing on her face. Her breathing was slow and steady and her face was completely relaxed. Stirring slightly, Andy rolled onto her side. She was slowly becoming aware of the conscious world, although her mind persisted in its state of tranquility. It was the time before the reality of life came back into focus. When you can't remember if something is wrong; and if only for a few seconds everything is ok. Blinking a few times, Andy's eyes perused her unfamiliar surroundings. Groaning, she reluctantly remembered the events of the previous night. Andy glanced at the clock on the bedside table. It was almost ten o'clock. Her next shift wasn't until three, and she would have been perfectly content to stay in bed until then. Except this wasn't her bed and she felt awkward intruding on Sam anymore than she already had. A small smile began to form at the corners of her lips at the thought of her partner. He had been great last night. She was a little surprised too. Who would have thought Sam would be able to navigate such an emotionally chaotic situation with so much tact. Maybe she wasn't giving him enough credit. Over the past two years he had been there for her so many times that she had lost count. It wasn't always as heartwarming as it had been last night, but he never let her down. Not once.

Swinging her legs out of bed, Andy reached for her phone. She had a text message from Traci. 'Hey Andy, sorry I missed your call. Dex moved back in last night. I guess it's a good thing. I don't know. I'll see you before parade'. Well there went that idea. There was no way Andy would consider crashing at Traci's now. She already felt bad enough asking to stay there with Leo and Traci's mom. Rubbing her head, a new sense of concern washed over her. Where was she going to go?

Andy's internal struggle was interrupted by a soft knock on the door. "Hey, Andy you awake yet?" Sam had been fighting the urge to check in on her all morning. After the previous night, he was excited just to see her and talk to her. Andy couldn't help but to smile when she saw her partner standing in the doorway, coffee cup in hand.

"Good Morning," she tried to sound cheerful although the greeting came out flat and emotionless. Smiling at her, Sam came over and sat down on the bed handing her the hot cup of coffee.

"So what did you think? Pretty amazing, right?" He patted the bed affectionately as if he made the thing himself.

Andy rolled her eyes before taking a sip of the coffee. "It was awesome, Sam." He smirked at the lack of enthusiasm behind her words. "I can't believe I slept this late. I was hoping to get some things done before work today."

Sam looked a little surprise at her mention of work. "Andy, do you really think it's a good idea for you to go to work today?" Andy regarded him with disdain as she set her coffee cup on the nightstand. She resented people trying to tell her what was best, and Sam knew it. A smirk played across his lips as he watched her face go from depressed to angry.

"Don't tell me what to do, Sam. I can't just take the day off because my personal life is a mess. I am…" Before she could continue she was silenced by the amused look on his face. "What? What is so funny?"

"Of course you can take the day off, Andy. That's what a "personal" day is for." It seemed so simple to him. She was jealous of his uncomplicated logic.

"It's not like that, Sam. It's not that easy…." What she meant to say was that she didn't want Luke to think that he had won. She didn't want him to assume that she was hiding from him and everyone else when she had done nothing wrong.

Sam knew that she was going to fight this to the bitter end. "Ok, Andy. So you don't want Callahan to think that he's won…" The look of surprise on her face was enough to tell him that he was right. "What are you going to do if everyone at the Division knows what happened? How are you going to feel when they're all whispering and giving you those sad looks? Are you going to be able to put all that aside and do the job?" Sam's expression turned serious. "I think you need to take a day and prepare yourself for that.." Before he could go on, she cut him off abruptly as she seethed with anger.

"If you're worried I won't be able to do the job then why don't you look for another partner?" The comment hurt Sam a little although he quickly decided to let it slide. Andy had been betrayed on every level possible and she had a right to be angry. She had a right to lash out. He knew that she didn't really mean it. She didn't need him to yell at her. She didn't need him to fight with her. She just needed him to be there. And that's what he decided to do.

Smiling at her as genuinely as possible, his voice was serious as he stared at her, "I don't want another partner, Andy. I just want you." The sincerity of his words caused all her anger to melt away as she sighed.

"Maybe you're right. I have the time saved up, and I could use the day to look for a place to live." Staring at Sam she smiled a little. He was the one bright spot in her whole disaster of a life right now. They were friends and partners, but she never expected him to be so comforting and so…so perfect just when she needed him to be. It was unbelievable. He knew just what to say and when to say it.

"Of course, I'm right McNally. Seven years on the job, I've taken a personal day or two and let me assure you. It's always a good idea." Getting up, Sam started toward the door.

"Oh yeah, I'm sure nothing compares to the mess I've gotten myself into…" she trailed off lost in her own world of misery.

Stopping, Sam turned around slowly. Regarding her for a moment, he spoke abruptly, "Four years ago my dad died." He was silent for a moment before offering her a sad smile, "And I took a personal day." Shrugging his shoulders, he seemed sad but not upset over the fact that his father was dead. Andy was startled by his sudden admission and took a moment to find her voice.

"Sam…I'm sorry. I didn't know." Shaking his head, he dismissed her concern.

"It was a long time ago." Stuffing his hands in his pockets he silently walked out of the room. Andy sat there for a moment lost in thought. She had no idea that Sam's father was dead. He had never mentioned him until just now. Andy realized that there were a lot of things she didn't know about her partner, but the fact that he seemed willing to share himself with her made her feel good and it made her feel important.

Sam looked up from the bowl of cereal he was eating as Andy finally emerged from the bedroom. Collapsing on the couch next to him, she stared straight ahead motionless. "I called in. Told Best I needed the day off. He didn't seem to know anything."

"Well, that's good." Putting the cereal bowl in the sink Sam, rummaged around in the drawer. Emerging from his search, he threw a set of keys on the counter.

"That's a spare set of keys to my place. If you need to go out today."

"Sam I promise, I am going to find a place as soon as possible. I'll be gone in a couple of days. I swear…" Before she could continue to ramble on, Sam held up his hand stopping her.

"McNally, stop. You are not imposing on me. I want you to stay here as long as you need to. I mean that, too." Andy smiled at him. Truth be told, she was enjoying having Sam with her right now. It made this whole horrendous situation a little easier to bear.

"It won't be long. And I am not letting you sleep on the couch another night." She saw that he was about to protest as he held her hand up. "I'm not going to argue with you, Sam. I'm not." He was slightly amused and was getting ready to make some smartass remark but decided to instead shut his mouth.

"Ok, McNally. Whatever you want." Glancing at the clock on the wall he started putting his coat and shoes on. "I'm going to get going. I told Jerry I would meet him at the gym before shift. I'll see you later, ok?" The last part came out more of a question than a statement. Andy didn't miss the hesitancy or the hopefulness in his voice.

"I'll be here." He relaxed slightly. He couldn't lie. He wanted her to stay with him. He liked having her around, but more than that he wanted to be the one who was there for her. It was very out of character for him to be unsure of himself but when it came to someone as important as Andy he just couldn't help it. She meant more to him than she would ever know.

"Try not to burn the place down or anything ok?" Andy laughed a little at the sarcastic remark he threw her way before walking out.

After Sam left, Andy began making a list in her head of all the things she should try to get done. Unfortunately, her intentions were derailed. Without Sam around, the day quickly turned into a sulk fest of epic proportions. Although there were a lot of things going through her mind, the one thing she kept coming back to was the worse question of all. Why hadn't she known that he didn't love her? Why was had she been fooled so easily? As much as she wanted to blame Jo, Andy knew that the person who was responsible for this mess was none other than herself. She was cop. She should have better instincts than a normal person. And here she was almost married to man who never loved her, or respected her, or trusted her. And she never knew a thing until it was too late.

Sam's apartment was quiet as Andy stared up at the ceiling. Her eyes burned from hours of crying and her throat was nearly raw. It was nearly nine o'clock. She had been sitting on the couch feeling sorry for herself all day long. Andy felt disgusted as she rolled over onto her side. Summoning all the strength she had, she lifted herself off the couch and slowly walked to the bathroom. Andy felt dizzy and sick as she closed the door behind her. Slowly turning the shower knobs, she hesitantly stepped into the tub pulling the curtain closed behind her. The warm water felt amazing as it ran over her neck and shoulders. Sighing, she thought that she might be able to stay there forever.

* * *

><p>Sam glanced at his watch glad that his shift was almost over. It had been an uneventful day as he caught himself thinking about Andy more than once. He knew that she was having a hard time, and he wanted to do something that would make her feel better. Sam had been tossing a few ideas around but hadn't really settled just yet. "1505 assistance is required at 1237 Bergmann Avenue." Sam stared out the window making no attempt to answer the call.<p>

"Sir, are we going to take that?" Peck looked at him a clearly waiting for his direction. Sam just smirked and shrugged his shoulders. A little while ago the Detectives had been called to that location for an apparent homicide. He had all sorts of notions regarding what they might want; none of which he found all that thrilling.

"Sure, why not?" Scowling a little, Sam nosed the car back out into traffic as Gail eagerly keyed the microphone.

"1505 responding, 1237 Bergmann Ave." Gail eyed Swarek wondering what his problem was, usually he seemed more than happy to get involved in the action. "Isn't that the homicide scene the detectives were called out to a little while ago?"

Sam could tell that Peck was trying to figure out his apparent lack of enthusiasm. He decided to make it easy for her, "Yeah Peck. Don't get too excited the D's probably want us there to put up some police tape since they're too important to do that themselves," Peck didn't miss the bitterness in Swarek's voice, "Or maybe they'll want us to sit next to the body for hours while they chase a hot lead…" Sam trailed off, annoyed at the timing of this whole adventure.

Gail shook her head and looked at him a little confused, "I thought that was our job, sir."

Sam fought the urge to jump across the console and strangle her. She was just so goddamned annoying. "It is our job, Peck. Forgive me for not sharing in your enthusiasm when we only have twenty minutes left in our shift! Did you think about that?" Gail shook her head, a new realization clearly dawning on her. "Exactly! We're going to be here all damn night!"

Sam pulled up to the Bergmann avenue address clearly still annoyed with is temporary rookie. Glancing over at Gail in the passenger seat, he felt a little bad for yelling at her. He hadn't completely forgotten what it was like to be a rookie. She just wanted to do something, get some experience, maybe turn into a bitter old Copper like him one day. Clearing his throat, Sam broke the silence, "Gail, I didn't mean to yell at you. It's not like either of us had much choice in the matter."

She started straight ahead not meeting his eyes, "It's alright." Sam was slightly taken aback by how icy she was although he quickly dismissed it. He had enough drama with his own rookie to worry about someone else. Sighing he pushed the car door open.

"Well, lets go see what they want." Sam's followed Gail up the stairs of the house. Inside they found a body sprawled out over the living room rug shot two times in the head. Sam stifled a wave of anger when he saw Callahan knelt down over the dead man. Although he had the urge to beat the shit out of him at least twelve times in the past day, he restrained himself for Andy's sake. The rumor mill would no doubt be churning away in a day or two. He didn't want to add any more drama to an already epic situation.

Callahan smiled as his eyes landed on Peck, although his face abruptly fell when he saw Swarek standing behind her. Sam was slightly pleased to see that Andy's ex-fiance was just as happy to see him as he thought he would be. "Peck you're here with me on the body, Swarek we need some more tape put up around back." Gail seemed pleased that Callahan chose her for the more important duty, although her satisfaction was short lived.

This entire situation was more than amusing as Sam smirked at his colleagues, "Tape's in the trunk of the car, Peck." Sam tossed her the keys not even caring what was about to come out of her mouth.

"But sir…" Sam glared at her as she stared at him trying to find an effective protest.

"But nothing Peck. I'm your TO and I told you to go put up some tape." Raising his eyebrows at her he looked at her as if she were crazy. "Go…already." Gail stomped out of the house like a spoiled child and disappeared down the front stairs.

Callahan scowled at Swarek before returning to the task at hand. It was clear that Sam had no intention of being any use to him. "Are you going to make yourself useful?"

Sam had the sudden uncontrollable urge to beat the living hell out of him right there. Murder scene or not, he could have cared less. Smirking at Callahan the only thing that held him back was the knowledge that Andy was at his house right now. They weren't together but it was the closest that they had ever been, and he was happy. Happier than he had been in a long time.

Before Sam could think of some smartass response, Luke stood up so that he was staring at him square in the eye, "You think you've won, Swarek because she's with you right now…" Sam was more than a little surprised; he wasn't sure if Callahan actually knew that information for a fact or had simply assumed it to be true. Either way he silently applauded the man's detective skills. Leaning in closer to Swarek, Luke positioned his body so that he was standing over the dead man. "Just so you know… you wouldn't have even been a passing thought to her if I hadn't screwed up. So don't think you've got one up on me because the way I see it you're just second best."

Sam was surprised that his first reaction was sadness and not anger. What if Callahan was right? The thought was completely out of character for him but he could never feel sure of himself with Andy. She meant more to him than any other woman he had ever met so the stakes were much higher. Sam began to feel a little more like himself as anger slowly replaced the unfamiliar feeling of defeat.

Grabbing Callahan roughly by the shoulder he pushed him into the other room. "Let's get something straight here, Callahan. She wasn't sure about you from the start but I told her what a great guy you were and that you were trustworthy! Trustworthy! Can you believe it?" Sam grabbed Luke by the collar and pressed him against the wall. "You've hurt her more than you can imagine and I swear to God if you come near her again. I swear you will regret it." Luke laughed a bitter little laugh as he regarded Sam with a sense of pity.

"You know it must be hard for you, Swarek. Knowing that she's that close. Knowing that I'm gone. And guess what? She still doesn't want you." That was it. Letting go of Callahan's collar Sam looked like he might walk away but then suddenly turned, and landed a punch square in the middle of the detective's jaw.

Sam made a beeline for the door stepping over the body as he left. "Hey, that's my crime scene you're tramping through!" Sam kept going although he heard Jo's annoying voice call after him.

"Piss off, lady." With that he was out the door and down the stairs. Peck was just finishing with the tape when she saw Swarek storming out of the building. "Peck, let's go."

"But sir…has detective Callahan released us? What's going on…" She was following Sam on his heels and was nearly knocked over when he turned abruptly.

"Either you get your ass in the car or I'm leaving you here." Gail nearly chased Swarek to the car and quickly decided that something had transpired while she was outside. While he seemed annoyed earlier, he was downright angry now and she knew enough to keep her mouth shut. Casting a glance toward the house, she saw Callahan standing on the porch rubbing his jaw, as he appeared to be listening to a very animated Detective Rosati. Something was definitely up; Gail just needed a couple more clues before she could put all the pieces together.

* * *

><p>Andy spent way too long in the shower and looked like a prune when she finally emerged from the steamy room. She felt a little better now that she was clean. Sam would be home soon and she was glad for the distraction. Wandering back into the bedroom, she flicked on a light. Andy hadn't really had a chance to look around much the night before. The room wasn't exactly decorated but it was comfortable. There were a couple of pictures on the dresser as she drifted over quite curious.<p>

Lifting one of the photos she smiled at the sight of Sam, Jerry, and Oliver on their graduation day. They all looked so young she barely recognized them. Another smaller photo was an image of Sam and a woman that resembled him. She had never seen the woman before but assumed that it must his sister, Sarah. Stepping back, Andy was little surprised to find the last picture was of her and Sam. Smiling she remembered the day it was taken. Best had wanted some candid photographs of the officers to be taken and put on a bulletin board during the community outreach day. Andy guessed that it was an effort to make them all seem more personable and more relatable to the community. Either way someone had managed to snap a photo of her and Sam goofing around in the locker room before shift. Wide smiles on both of their faces, she couldn't remember what he had said to her and it didn't really matter. They looked completely content with one another. It was a good picture and Andy had wondered what happened to it. Never in a million years did she think Sam had it.

Running her fingers over the dresser, Andy wandered around a little more before sitting on the edge of the bed. Wet strands of hair fell loosely around her face. Craning her neck, she noticed that Sam had a couple of books on the nightstand. Most of them she had never heard of, although she stopped when she noticed the title on the bottom. Pulling the slender blue book from the stack, she squinted at the title not really believing her eyes, 'The History of Love'. What the hell? Of all the things she expected to find this was just about the most surprising. She didn't even think that Sam read books, let alone books about love. Shutting the light off, Andy began thumbing through the pages as she collapsed back on the couch.

She wasn't sure how much time had went by but before she knew it she heard someone at the door. Glancing at the clock it was nearly midnight. Andy couldn't help but to smile when she saw Sam walk through the door. It was, afterall, the highlight of her day so far.

"Hey, how was your day?" He noticed that Andy was in the same place that he left her looking only slightly more put together. Opening the refrigerator, he pulled out a bottle of water before sitting down on the couch next to her.

Shrugging Andy tried to downplay how horrible she felt, "It was ok. I got some rest."

"Uh huh…" he took stock of her appearance and the fact that the spare keys were right on the counter where he left them, "Did you leave the house at all?"

Andy played with the blanket not wanting to tell him the truth but unable to lie. "No…No I just got some rest." Translation: I spent the whole day crying my eyes out. She hoped that she wasn't that transparent to him.

Sam looked her over a couple of times before voicing what they both already knew. "You cried all day, didn't you?" Goddammit! She couldn't hide anything from him.

Andy shrugged careful to look anywhere but at Sam. "Maybe…" Sam sighed loudly; he didn't like the idea of her crying all day over a piece of shit like Callahan. He had no intention of telling her about the confrontation that transpired between her ex-fiance and himself. Wracking his brain he searched for something to make her feel better.

"Get your coat on. We're going somewhere." Andy stared at her partner like he was crazy.

"Sam… I don't want to see anyone right now. I look disgusting and I just don't want to…" Quickly dismissing her concerns he held up his hand.

"No. It's just going to be us. Don't worry." Andy didn't want to move off the couch but she also couldn't turn Sam down when he looked so excited. Grabbing her coat he looked at her expectantly. Sighing, Andy pushed herself up. Sam couldn't help but to smile.

"Where are we going?" Sam held the door open for her as she stepped out into the cold air.

"It's a surprise. But I promise you'll like it." Although she wouldn't admit it, Andy was a little excited. She was also touched by the effort he was making for her. It was unexpected but nonetheless appreciated.

Andy and Sam drove around Toronto for almost twenty minutes before Sam stopped his truck in an empty parking lot. Andy knew Toronto pretty well but all the driving had gotten her mixed up and she honestly had no idea where they were. About six inches of snow had fallen the night before and had been untouched in that area. Andy's boots crunched as she walked around the front of the truck. Smiling at her, Sam offered his hand as he gestured toward a narrow path. "Let's go."

Reluctantly, Andy took his hand and allowed him to lead her down a snow-covered path and up a hill. "If I didn't know better, Swarek. I'd think you were leading me to my death right now."

Sam laughed, "Who knows…McNally. I might be." She shook her head, the sudden image of Luke popping in her mind. She had been doing so good too. Since Sam came home she hadn't thought of Luke once.

Finally at the top of the hill they came to a clearing that looked over the entire city of Toronto. Letting go of Sam's hand she walked close to the edge, speechless. It was without a doubt the most spectacular view she had ever seen. Light snowflakes fell over the city as it glowed brightly. It was perfect.

"Wow…" it came out as a whisper that she was sure he didn't hear. Smiling, Sam was happy that he had successfully gotten her mind onto something other than Callahan. A big rock was appropriately placed in the middle of the clearing. Dusting the snow off, Sam sat down on the cold stone content with his efforts.

It took Andy a couple of minutes to snap out of it as she turned to her partner obviously pleased with his idea. "This is awesome. How did you find this place?" Walking over she sat down next to him close enough that he could feel the heat coming off her body.

Shrugging his shoulders, Sam nonchalantly replied, "After my dad died….I needed a place to go when things got too much." Andy's radar turned on at the mention of Sam's dad.

"What happened to him?" She wasn't sure how he would react, but it seemed like the right time.

Sighing loudly, he scratched the back of his head as he regarded her thoughtfully. "They found him dead at his place. No one really knows. Heart attack or something….We weren't really that close." Andy nodded, not really knowing what to say. Before she could think of something, Sam continued, "But that doesn't mean I didn't want to be close with him. Really, it was all I wanted for most of my life."

Andy just stared at him. "Thank you." Smirking a little Sam was brought back to reality by her unexpected remark.

"For what?"

Leaning in a little closer to him, Andy stared back out at the city. "Thank you for trusting me with that." Smiling slightly, Sam just nodded.

"So, anyway. After my dad died I used to come here and play this game with myself." Andy nodded, encouraging him to continue. "I used to come here and look out over the city and pick a car or a window in one of the downtown buildings and make up a story about that person. What their life might be like. What they were doing. And if there was anyway they hurt as much as I did."

Andy stared at him with tears in her eyes. She suddenly felt guilty for taking her partner at face value, when there was so much more to him than she could have ever imagined.

Sam suddenly felt a little embarrassed at how honest he had just been. His feelings were quickly erased when Andy leaned against him. He wasn't sure if how she would react but the moment seemed right so he cautiously wrapped his arm around her shoulders. Relaxing a little when she didn't pull back he finished his thought, "I don't know…It used to make me feel better. That's why I brought you here."

Andy rested her head against his shoulder. "You know what, Sam? You make me feel better."

**Above lyrics are from 3 Doors Down, "Away from the Sun"**

**Please Review!**


	3. We Are

"**The Blood of Strangers"**

**Author: **carmen_085

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Rookie Blue or any of the characters in it

**Summary: **After breaking off her engagement with Luke, Andy goes undercover with Swarek in a high profile drug case that will put both of their lives in danger

**Chapter Three**

"_What about the world today_

_What about the place that we call home_

_We've never been so many_

_And we've never been so alone"_

Andy sat on Sam's couch staring at the blank TV screen. She was fully dressed and ready for work. It was her first day back since the breakup with Luke and she finally felt like she could handle what was sure to come. The whispers, the stares, seeing Luke, and worse than that seeing Jo. She was ready. Well, at least she hoped that she was ready. For some reason the boss had scheduled her and Swarek on opposite shifts the past couple of days, and although Andy was ready to go back to work she wasn't ready to go back without Sam. So she took a couple of extra days off. Andy felt guilty about calling off but she couldn't imagine facing everyone at the division for the first time by herself. Over the past couple of days Sam had been a constant source of companionship. It was nice and it was just what she needed.

Sighing loudly, Andy was getting a little impatient. She just wanted to get there and get this over with. Sam was taking forever to get ready and they barely had twenty minutes until parade. Right on cue, Sam burst through the door of his bedroom.

"Are you ready?" Running around the kitchen he searched for his keys and bag.

"I've been ready, Sam." Rising to her feet Andy moved toward the door. "You know, usually it's the woman who keeps the man waiting."

Sam smirked at her slightly amused, "Well usually the woman leaves the man some hot water for his shower." Pulling his shoes on, they started out the door.

Andy looked at him a little sheepish,, "Oops! I guess you'll be glad when I moved out." The second part was more of a question than a statement and Sam didn't miss that.

"Well it will be nice to have a hot shower…." He paused to study the expression on her face. Sam was pleased when he saw a brief flash of disappointment cross her otherwise attractive features. Continuing, he was fast to reassure her, "But I think I would rather have you around."

"Really?" The surprise in her voice made him feel a little bit bad. Sam was sure that she realized he liked having her around.

Starting the truck, he regarded her sincerely. "Of course. You know you can stay as long as you like, Andy. I mean that. It's been nice having you around." On the outside Sam tried to appear as non-chalant as possible, while on the inside he was as nervous and giddy as a teenage girl. Really, he was hoping that she would stay forever.

"Thanks." Andy smiled as she watched the passing scenery. She had begun to look at some new places but really she was in no hurry to actually move out. She and Sam had been having a lot of fun together and she liked being with him. At home and at work, she never got tired of having him around.

Sam pulled up to the division with ten minutes to spare before parade. As Andy climbed out of the truck, she saw Traci and Jerry walking in together. Traci was the only person besides Sam that she had told about Luke, although she was sure that practically everyone knew by now. Taking a deep breath she walked through the doors, she was ready for this.

Sam hurried off to the men's locker room as she made a beeline for her own. Andy knew that people were staring at her as she kept her eyes trained on the floor. Thankfully, the locker room was nearly empty as she began to quickly put on her uniform. Somewhere in the back of the room she heard a locker close and footsteps. Haphazardly pulling her hair up into a ponytail she didn't notice that someone had crept up behind her until it was almost too late.

"It's a shame what happened between you and Luke," Gail's voice almost made her jump in surprise.

Turning to face her fellow rookie, she tried to brush the whole situation off, "Well, I guess it just wasn't meant to be." Gail was the last person that she wanted to discuss her personal life with. Turning away from her, Andy hoped that she would get the message and leave.

"Yeah, well at least you have Swarek now." Andy tried her best to ignore Gail although she couldn't help but to tune in at the sound of Sam's name.

Scowling at Peck, Andy was quick to dismiss the idea of her and Sam as a couple. "Sam and I are partners." She needed to mind her own goddamned business.

Peck began to walk toward the door and Andy was relieved until she spoke again. "Look Andy, I don't know what happened but the other day I was partnered with Swarek and we were called to a homicide," Andy didn't like where this was going. Why hadn't Sam told her about this? "And…I don't know what exactly happened but I think Sam and Luke had some kind of fight. I mean one minute I was putting up tape and the next Swarek is storming out of the house telling me that we had to go. It just seemed suspicious since you know Luke and Jo were there too."

Before Andy could muster a response Gail as out the door and down the hallway. Why had Sam not told her about having a run in with Luke? She was enjoying their newfound closeness so much that she had never stopped to consider that he would try to hide something from her. Still, she had no claim to Sam. He didn't belong to her in anyway and therefore he wasn't required to report everything to her. As Andy walked down the hallway to parade, a wave of unsettle came over her. She hated feeling like there were secrets out there that she didn't know. She hated thinking that something important was being kept from her, again.

Andy was late for parade as she slid into the room just as Best was beginning to speak. Immediately Sam made eye contact with her as he flashed her that same comforting smile that she was becoming so used to. Sighing, she walked over to her partner and sat down on the table in the back next to him. Sam had been so great to her the last couple of weeks that she decided she would give him the benefit of the doubt. Besides, she knew that Peck liked drama and could just be looking to stir up some controversy as if she didn't already have enough of that in her life.

"And now, Detectives Callahan and Rosati will brief us on their latest case." Andy's body immediately stiffened. She was hoping to make it out of the barn without seeing Luke. No such luck. The site of Luke and Jo in the front of the room made her nauseous as she hoped that he might not notice her.

Immediately upon turning around to begin, Luke's eyes automatically locked with hers as she quickly looked away. He stood there for a moment speechless in the front of the room as everyone looked on expectantly. Andy could feel her face getting red and hoped that they would get on with it already. She was sure that everyone knew that he was staring at her.

"Ok…well.. I guess I'll get started." Rosati's annoying voice cut through the tense room as she scowled at her doe-eyed partner. Andy let out of breath she didn't know she was holding when Jo broke the silence. Gesturing toward a series of pictures she went over suspects they had in their latest case as Luke moved to the side of the room. Although he tried, he couldn't take his eyes off Andy and Sam sitting together in the back of the room. There were times when Jo paused, clearly waiting for Luke to jump in, although he stood there completely useless. Her annoyance was mounting as she hurried through the briefing.

Andy couldn't wait to get the hell out of there. Luke was making this so much more awkward than it needed to be. Next to her, Sam could feel the embarrassment radiating off of his partner's body and genuinely felt bad for her. Quietly, he touched her thigh causing her to look at him. "Andy…don't worry about him. Just look at me, ok." She looked into Sam's eyes and immediately felt at ease. Smiling at him, she allowed herself to forget the situation at hand.

From the front of the room, Luke watched as Swarek touched her. He watched as he whispered something to her. And he watched as she smiled at Sam in a way that she never smiled at him. And then he couldn't watch anymore. Turning, Luke slammed the door of the parade room as he stormed down the hallway.

The abrupt noise tore Andy and Sam from their private world of contentment and brought them back to the present. At the front of the room, Jo rolled her eyes and snorted. "Well this is just great." Shooting Andy a dirty look, she ripped the pictures down from the board. Jo stood at the front of them with her hands on her hips, her face a mixture of embarrassment and disgust. "Any questions?" No one dared speak, as her tone conveyed no interest in entertaining suggestions from the crowd. Sam smirked; briefly considering how much fun it could be to antagonize her but then quickly dismissed the idea as Jo stormed out of the parade room.

Best hesitantly stood back up clearly unsure of what to say. Raising his eyebrows he looked around the room sighing, "Well I guess that's it…" Stuffing his hands in his pockets he looked around the room as everyone simultaneously stood up. Andy kept her eyes on the ground as the other officers filed past her to the door. She could feel them staring at her. The room emptied out quickly and before long it was just she and Sam.

Kicking her shoe, Sam smiled as Andy turned to look at him. "So what do you think, McNally? Ready to go?"

Staring at Sam the realization of how hard this was going to be started to dawn on her. This was, without a doubt, the most embarrassing situation she had ever been in and she couldn't deny the urge to run away. Andy made no attempt to get up. Hesitantly, Sam put his hand on her leg. "Forget about them, ok? We're going to get in the car and then it will just be you and me." Standing up Sam looked at his miserable partner. He hated to see her this way, especially over someone like Callahan. "Look, Andy they're going to forget about this eventually. You just have to hold on until something else happens and people lose interest." She didn't look anymore reassured. Playfully swatting her shoulder, Sam gave her a wide grin, "And in the mean time you get to hang out with your really awesome partner."

For the first time that day, Andy's lips turned up in a slight smile. "Is that a smile I see?" Immediately, Andy attempted to force her lips into a straight line. "Oh no, say it isn't so, McNally, say it isn't so." Despite her best efforts, Andy's face broke out into a smile as she laughed at Sam's goofy antics. "Yes! I knew I could do it!" Sam threw an impromptu celebration for his efforts, as Andy couldn't help but to laugh.

"Alright, alright. Let's go already."

* * *

><p>Andy was thankful that she and Sam were able to make it out of the barn without any further incident. The first half of their shift had been quiet although Andy was genuinely surprised when Sam offered her the keys. While she was excited, his offering made her feel kind of bad. Sam must have really felt sorry for her if he was letting her drive. Still, she was going to enjoy it because it might be a long time before he let her do it again.<p>

Smiling, Andy glanced over at her partner, "Thanks for letting me drive."

Sighing loudly, Swarek tried to pretend that it took a monumental effort for him to sit in the passenger seat, "I'm not your training officer anymore, McNally. We're partners. That means once in a while you get to drive and I…I have to do the paperwork." He made it sound like torture and Andy couldn't help but to giggle.

"Don't sound so excited." The car fell silent for a moment as Andy's smile faded. She had been dissecting Peck's comments to her all shift as she struggled for a way to bring it up.

Glancing at his partner, Sam could sense that she was holding back. Rolling his eyes, he stared out the window, "What is it, McNally?"

Sam's voice caused her to jump as she was almost entirely consumed by her internal thought processes. "What?" She feigned innocence as she had yet to come up with a good approach.

"Don't what me. You've got something to say, so say it." He was challenging her. It pissed her off and Sam knew it.

Hitting the steering wheel with the heel of her hand, she just blurted out the first thing that came to mind. "What happened between you and Luke?"

Sam couldn't deny that he was a little surprised although he assumed Peck's big mouth would reach Andy sooner or later. He didn't want her preoccupied with some stupid bullshit although he also couldn't bring himself to lie to her. So he opted for a vague version of the truth that he hoped would satisfy her. "I told Callahan that I didn't appreciate how he treated you. He said some things to me that I didn't like so I hit him."

Andy had a feeling that something of the sort had transpired although she couldn't help but to feel a little awkward. She didn't like being the center of attention and the fact that her partner and her ex-fiance had been fighting over her made her feel a little uncomfortable. She wasn't surprised that Sam would give Luke his opinion on the whole situation. Andy and Sam had become quite close in the past two years, and she knew that sooner or later Sam would tell Luke what he thought of him. She also wasn't surprised that Sam had hit her ex-fiance. While her partner usually relied on his head instead of his fists, he was also never one take something lying down. What Andy did wonder about was what Luke could have possibly said to Sam to make him that upset.

"What did he say to you?" Andy's voice was low and borderline angry. While he was slightly uncomfortable, Sam also felt a little satisfied knowing her first question was about what Callahan had did to him. Despite this, he couldn't tell her the whole truth about what was said without embarrassing himself.

"Andy, it doesn't matter what he said." Sam avoided eye contact hoping that she would just drop it.

"It matters to me, Sam. I want to know." He could tell that she was getting angry but he couldn't tell her. On top of looking like an ass, he was also sure that their comfortable relationship would quickly become quite awkward.

"Just let it go, ok?"

"Don't tell me to let it go, Sam. I just found out that my whole life was one big lie. That the person I was about to marry was keeping secrets from me. And now you… the only person I still trust is lying to me." Her words were like a knife that cut him right in half. He could feel the anger boiling up in him. Why couldn't she just leave it alone?

"Alright, you want to know what he said? You can't just leave it alone. He told me I was nothing to you and that if he hadn't screwed up you would have never given me a second thought. He asked me how it felt to have you so close and know that you don't want anything to do with me." His voice was a mixture of anger and embarrassment. Sam could feel his heart beating in his chest as his face burned with shame. Never in a million years did Andy think that was going to come out. Pulling to the car over to the side of the road she stared down at the steering wheel. She didn't know what to say. Over the past couple of weeks it was clear that there was the potential for something more between her and Sam. She was, however, still grieving the loss her relationship with Luke and was not in the proper emotional condition to even think about starting something new. Andy was confused and uncomfortable and had no idea what to do next. So they sat there in silence. Andy a whirlwind of emotions and Sam too embarrassed to speak.

The sharp crack of gunfire abruptly broke the tense silence as they both visibly jumped. "Where the hell did that come from?" Sam and Andy searched the darkened landscape for any sign of trouble. Two blocks up ahead Andy's eye caught a brief flash as another gunshot echoed off the buildings.

"Up there on the right." Putting the car in gear she hit the accelerator. Her heart was pounding as she pulled up to the scene. Barely ten seconds had passed until she was getting out of the car, gun drawn.

A quick search revealed no gunman and one victim who was lying on the sidewalk bleeding from the chest. To her surprise the man was still alive, although he didn't look good. Immediately she reached for her radio, "Dispatch we have one victim at this location, shot in the chest, request medics on a rush."

"Oh my God…no, no, no." Sam pushed past her and immediately knelt down at the injured man's side. He didn't hesitate to put pressure on the man's wound. Blood was squirting everywhere as a puddle began to form on the sidewalk.

"Sammy…they got me." The man's voice was barely above a gasp as he stared at Swarek wide eyed and full of panic.

"You're going to be ok, Jimmy. The medics are on their way." Sam's hands were covered in blood as he shifted his weight to put more pressure on the wounds

"Sammy, I can't breath…I can't breath." The man's legs began to twitch as he gripped Sam's arm tightly.

"It's ok, Jimmy. It's ok." Sam turned to Andy who was completely dumbfounded by the whole situation. "Get the bag!" Without actually thinking she turned and ran to the car.

"What do you want me to do?" Kneeling down across from Sam she hastily pulled on gloves as Sam reached for the gauze.

"Hold pressure, here." Sam stood up and looked up and down the street before keying his radio angrily, "Where the hell are those medics?" Kneeling back down, he put his hands over Andy's as they desperately tried to stop the bleeding.

"Don't trust him, Sammy. Don't trust him." The man's body contorted with pain as he gasped for air.

"Who is this guy?" Andy had assumed that her partner knew the victim someway, however, her worst fears were quickly confirmed.

"He's a cop." The wail of the ambulance siren drew closer as the writhing and gasping beneath their hands came to an abrupt halt. The man stared straight ahead as his body abruptly went limp. Automatically Sam checked for a pulse, although he already knew the answer. "Start CPR."

Without any hesitation Andy began chest compressions as quick and as hard as she could. Her own heart felt like it was about to beat out of her chest as a surge of adrenaline shot through her body. She felt lightheaded as she pumped up and down feeling the man's sternum bouncing under her hands. She paused as Sam tilted the man's head back and breathed into his mouth. She didn't know how well Sam knew this man but the fact that he was covered in his blood made Andy think that they were pretty close.

Andy wasn't sure when the medics showed up but before she knew it someone was pushing her out of the way. Sitting back on the sidewalk she struggled to catch her breath. Across from her Sam stood over the victim staring as the medics worked feverishly. His hands and face were covered in blood as a defeated slouch overtook his features. They had failed.

Helping the medics load Jimmy into the ambulance, Sam and Andy stood there on the street watching as they disappeared around the corner. "Let's go over to the hospital." Andy assumed that Sam would want to see what happened to his friend.

"For what?" His voice was annoyed at her apparent lack of understanding.

She stopped surprised by his response. "I thought you would…." Before she could finish he cut her off.

"He's dead, McNally. He's dead." Punching the hood of the car, Sam turned and walked back to the puddle of blood that bad been left on the sidewalk. Andy didn't know what to do. Sam was usually very controlled with is emotions. She had never seen him this upset. The crime scene techs had arrived and were beginning to process the area as her radio crackled on her shoulder.

"1505 you're requested back at the station immediately." Andy stood there staring at Sam. She had so many questions but it didn't seem like the right time to ask any of them.

"10-4 central. 1505 returning to station." Sliding behind the steering wheel she waited for Sam to join her. In the span of about thirty minutes the most comfortable relationship she knew had quickly become the most awkward. She felt like she could say anything to Sam and now she didn't even know how to tell him that they had to go. Out of the corner of her eye she saw him approach the car. Her breath hitched as he got into the passenger seat and shut the door. Andy wanted to say something. She wanted to ask him a million questions, but when she opened her mouth nothing came out. For the first time since she had met him, she was afraid of what he might say or do.

The ride back to the barn was completely silent. When they arrived Sam didn't wait for her as he leapt out of the car and hustled inside. Since the shooting the place had become a beehive of activity. Andy watched as some of the higher level bosses walked silently through the parking lot. Sighing, at least no one would care about her and Luke anymore. She felt guilty for thinking that way. A man had died today. A cop had died today and all she could think about was herself.

It was nearly two o'clock in the morning when Andy finally sat down at one of the desks. As soon as she walked into the barn, Jerry had quickly ushered her into an interview room and pumped her for details on the shooting. She honestly didn't remember much. She never saw a shooter, and if Sam hadn't been there she wouldn't have known that the victim was a cop.

Turns out Jimmy O'Connell had been a cop for fifteen years. He was assigned to fifteen division as a rookie and then eventually joined the Narcotics squad. He had been undercover for three years. It was a long time to lose yourself in another life. Jimmy had been working Joseph Drag, one of the most well-known drug dealers in Toronto. He had been undercover for three years and his case was nowhere near complete. He didn't have any family. Jimmy was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital.

Andy went over the facts in her mind. Leaning back in the chair she watched as Sam paced back and forth in Best's office. He had been there since they got back. There were still a few people hanging around the station, but the crowds of earlier had thinned considerably. Resting her head back, Andy allowed her eyes to drift shut. When she opened them again, Sam was walking out of Best's office toward the locker room.

She had to stifle the urge to run after him. After what happened between them earlier she didn't really know where they stood. Resting her head in her hand she almost groaned out loud when she saw Luke approaching.

"Where's your partner?" The disgust in his voice was evident as he spat out the word partner.

"What do you care?" She was in no mood to talk to him right now, especially after what Sam told her.

Luke sat down on the desk, angling himself so that they were nearly touching. Pushing the chair back to put some space between them Andy looked at him expectantly. Shaking his head, his lips turned up in a bitter sneer. "So how long was it before you went running to him?"

Andy shot out of the chair. She couldn't believe the nerve he had. "Let's get something straight, Luke. You cheated on me. You screwed up. I should be asking you how long it was before you went running to Jo!" Her voice was a few octaves too high as a couple people stopped what they were doing to stare. Lowering her voice, Andy turned back to him and leaned in close. "Just so you know, I think Sam's great, and if there was ever anyone that I shouldn't have given a second thought it was you."

Luke's face was a mixture of anger and disbelief. Grinding his teeth back and forth he stood up quickly, "You're going to regret this, Andy." Not waiting for a reply he stomped back toward the Detective's office.

"Not likely," her voice was barely above a whisper. Sighing, Andy glanced at her watch. It was nearly three am and she was beyond ready to get out of there. Searching the area there was still no sign of Sam. She was going to have to talk to him sooner or later. Hesitantly, Andy walked toward the men's locker room. Pushing the door open, the room was dark and quiet. Near the end of the lockers, she could see someone sitting on the bench in front of the mirror. As she got closer she could see that Sam hadn't bothered to scrub the blood off yet. Staring at his reflection, a blank, emotionless look stared back.

Andy sat down next to him slowly. They sat there for a few moments in silence before Sam's voice interrupted them. "I met Jimmy five years ago. On my first undercover assignment." His voice was strained as she waited patiently for him to continue. "He had been under for about a year. He was experienced. He showed me the ropes."

Andy scooted a little closer to him so that their bodies were touching. She was relieved when she felt him lean against her. "Anyway…I always looked up to Jimmy. I thought of him like…" He stopped short afraid that he wouldn't be able to say it without breaking down.

"A father." All Sam could do was nod as she finished his sentence for him. He kept his eyes averted on the ground. Andy had never seen him so upset over something. His hands were trembling slightly in his lap. Taking a deep breath she slide one of her hands into his and was relieved when he interlaced his fingers with hers. Leaning against him she rested her head on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry that I yelled at you earlier."

Andy sighed as she lifted her head to look at him. He hesitantly looked at her unsure of what was going to happened next, "You know I don't feel that way about you, right? You know that Luke just said that to piss you off."

Sam nodded although he couldn't fully admit that he didn't believe what Callahan said. "Yeah." It was all that he could manage right now as he hoped that Andy would let it slide.

"You mean a lot to me, Sam. I don't know what I would do without you." He smiled a little, happy that their relationship hadn't become awkward in light of what happened earlier. Laying her head back down, Andy's eyes involuntarily drifted shut. Sam sat there for a few moments staring at his own horrific appearance and that of the perfect woman who was sitting next to him.

**I love reviews!  
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**Above lyrics are from Ana Johnsson's "We Are"**


	4. When I'm Gone

"**The Blood of Strangers"**

**Author: **carmen_085

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Rookie Blue or any of the characters in it

**Summary: **After breaking off her engagement with Luke, Andy goes undercover with Swarek in a high profile drug case that will put both of their lives in danger

**Chapter Four**

"_There's another world inside of me_

_That you may never see_

_There're secrets in this life _

_That I can't hide"_

It had begun to snow as Andy waited for Sam to unlock the front door. Breathing out slowly she watched as her breath formed a hazy cloud in front of her face. She was physically exhausted from the day's events although her mind was working overtime. The ride home from the division had been quiet as she occupied herself with the buttons on her jacket. Once in a while she would steal a quick glance in Sam's direction. His face was unreadable as she wondered what he was thinking.

Quietly he led her inside. Dropping her coat and bag she collapsed on the couch. Wrapping herself up in the blanket she flicked on the television. "You're not tired?"

Sam slowly sat down next to her.

Sighing she shook her head, "I am tired but I don't think I'll be able to fall asleep."

Sam smirked at her a little; she didn't really make any sense. "OK." Settling back into the couch he put his feet up on the coffee table. He was way too wired for sleep. Andy stared at the TV for a few minutes before she felt her eyelids getting heavy. Leaning against Sam she allowed herself to rest her head on his shoulder. Sam wasn't really sure what was going on between them. He knew that it was too soon for a relationship, if that was even what she wanted. For all he knew, she just thought of him as a friend. Despite that, he couldn't deny how good it had been the last couple of weeks. Physical affection had never been a part of their relationship before and suddenly he wondered why. It just felt so perfect. Either way Sam figured that he might as well enjoy it since he didn't know how long it would last.

Andy felt her body shift as Sam put his arm around her. Smiling she didn't move as she felt him lean against her. In the last couple of weeks their relationship had changed in so many ways. She didn't know how she would feel about the physical closeness so soon after severing ties with Luke, but to her surprise she enjoyed it. It felt so natural and so right that if she hadn't known different she would have though that they had been together forever.

Sam let his eyes close a little. His mind was working overtime although he felt his body begin to relax. There was something about having her there with him that just made him feel good. Before he had a chance to fight it, sleep slowly began to take over his senses.

A soft knock at the door caused Sam to stir abruptly. His left arm was numb as he struggled into the sitting position. It took him a minute to realize that he was at home, and that he and Andy had fallen asleep on the couch. Careful not to wake her he slowly slid his arm out from behind her. Again, he heard what he thought was a knocking at his front door. Slowly standing up, he slid a pillow under Andy's head as she unconsciously stretched out on the couch. His back was aching from the awkward position that he fell asleep in as he stretched out. Glancing at the clock, it was nearly six am as the first hints of daylight began to illuminate the house. Swinging the door open, Sam was surprised to actually find someone standing on his stoop.

"We need to talk." It was Gary Miller. He had been the sergeant in Narcotics for almost five years. He liked to get right to the point, obviously.

Squinting for a moment, Sam's sleepy brain struggled to process what was going on. The cold air began to arouse his senses as the events of the previous night slowly began to come back in painstaking detail. Sam didn't need to ask what this was about. He already knew. This was about Jimmy. "Yeah, ok." Disappearing back into the house, Sam slipped his coat and shoes on. Grabbing his keys he thought about waking Andy to tell her that he was leaving. Staring at her sleeping peacefully he decided to leave her. He would surely be home before she even knew that he was gone.

Stepping out into the cold morning air, Sam followed Gary down the street and around the corner to a black car with darkened windows. Obviously, Gary didn't want anyone to know what he was doing. Sliding into the passenger seat, Sam eyed the older man cautiously. Something was going on. He had expected Gary to be upset about Jimmy but there was something more. Not only did he seem upset he also appeared to be tense and even paranoid. Like someone was going to get him.

They made small talk as Gary drove Sam around Toronto for about twenty minutes before stopping the car near an abandoned industrial park. They sat there in silence for a few moments watched as the sun came up over Lake Ontario. Glistening on the snow and ice, it illuminated the tense car with a paradoxical warm glow. Sam wondered if he should start but one quick look at the older man told him that this meeting would get underway when Gary decided to speak. Either way, Sam was beginning to have a sick feeling.

"Do you know what Jimmy told me the last time I ever talked to him?" Obviously, Sam had no idea. Shaking his head slowly, he played into the skit that Gary was creating to prove a point. "He told me that he wanted out. He told me that he had a bad feeling."

Lighting a cigarette Gary blew smoke all over the car. Sam sat there, unable to find the right words. His mind flashed back to the night before.

'_Don't trust him, Sammy. Don't trust him.' _ Who was Jimmy talking about? Did he even know? Or was he just delirious with panic? There were so many questions going through his mind.

Hesitantly, Sam looked at Gary. "So, Dragg's people made him." It was more a question than a statement.

Pinching the cigarette between his lips, Gary squinted, as he appeared to be looking at nothing in particular. "I think so. What else could have happened?" Sam's ears perked up a little at the second part. There was no questioning; it was a fact. Gary wasn't asking him what he thought; he was telling him that nothing else could have happened. It was strange, and he didn't know why but it made him feel slightly uncomfortable. Before Sam could think about it anymore, the older man continued, "I mean Joseph Dragg has eyes and ears all over this city."

Sam was a little confused about his role in all of this. "So what do you need me for, Gary?" The older man paused and stared at him for a moment. Sam cringed, realizing that his words seemed somewhat disconnected. Of course, he wanted to do anything that he could to find Jimmy's killer. The man was like a father to him. Quickly, he clarified his previous statement, "I mean, I want to do anything I can. I want to find who did this." That didn't really sound any better but at least he had tried.

"Do you remember Steve….oh, what's his last name?" Gary threw Sam a questioning glance, hoping that he could supply the information he was looking for.

Sam knew exactly who he was talking about. Steve Brown had been an informant with narcotics for as long as he could remember. He was generally a pretty reliable guy, although once in a while his addiction got the best of him and he did something stupid. "Brown. His last name is Brown."

"Oh yeah, yeah. Steve Brown." Gary paused for a moment. "Sam I need you to go undercover and find out who did this. You know we'll never find out any other way. Dragg will make sure of that."

Sam's stomach did a flop. He was afraid that's what Gary wanted. Truth be told he didn't want to do it. The image of Jimmy bleeding to death on the concrete flashed through his mind. While he loved undercover work, it was exponentially more dangerous than normal police work and to be good at it you needed to completely lose yourself in another life. Normally, he would be all for it. Ironically enough, though, the one undercover case that meant more to him than anything came at exactly the same time when he was beginning to fall in love with his real life. For the first time in forever, he had something…someone…that made him want to stay.

Gary was right, though. They would never be able to find who killed Jimmy unless they put themselves in Jimmy's situation. These people were far more sophisticated and criminally intelligent than the uniformed Toronto police had the ability to deal with. They could beat on every door in the city, and Sam was sure that no matter how hard they looked they would never find him. A cop killer would walk free. He could change all that though. He knew that if he had the chance he could do it. Jimmy had taught him everything he knew about undercover work. He needed to do something. He couldn't just walk away and pretend like it didn't matter.

Sighing loudly Sam knew that he needed to do this. He owed it to Jimmy. "How long would it be?"

"It's hard to say. Jimmy was undercover for three years. Dragg's organization is massive. He has people in places no one would even think to look."

"Ok, well if I do this. I'm not going in alone."

Shaking, his head it was clear that Gary did not like the idea. "Sam, I don't know. One person is hard enough. Two guys just look suspicious, and you're already going to be with Steve. I don't know…"

Sam wasn't going to let this go. The terrified look on Jimmy's face flashed through his mind. Dragg was a professional criminal and if he even had the slightest inkling that Sam was a cop he would kill him just like he killed Jimmy. This was a major operation; he wasn't going in without backup. "What about a woman?"

Gary almost laughed out loud. "Oh Sammy, there are so few quality broads in undercover that I could count them on one finger. Unless they're dressed like a hooker, they can't do shit. You know that."

"I know someone who would be good." Sam didn't know if it was a good idea to volunteer Andy for such an operation without her consent. Despite, that he had to admit that he couldn't think of anyone else he'd rather have backing him up. It would also solve his problem of not wanting to leave her behind. The annoyed look on Gary's face broke Sam out of his daydreams.

"And who might that be?"

"My partner. Andy McNally. She can do it." Sam sounded more confident than he actually was. While Andy had certainly come a long way in the last two years, he wasn't sure if she was ready for something like this. Moreover, he wasn't sure she would even want to do it. All he knew was that if his life was on the line; he didn't want anyone else backing him up.

Gary settled back into the seat, taking a long drag on his cigarette. It was clear that Sam wasn't going to let this go. He didn't like the idea of putting two people under, especially one that didn't have much experience. Still, he was desperate to find the person who killed his guy. It was one of Dragg's people, he already knew that, he just need Sam to figure out which one. Sighing, he conceded that maybe Sam had a point.

"Alright, I don't like this idea, but I trust you and if you tell me she's good then…." He paused not wanting to say it, "I guess she's good."

Sam nodded. He just hoped that Andy wouldn't let him down. "Alright."

Throwing his cigarette out the window, Gary began to outline the plan. "Ok, I don't want anyone to know what you're doing. No one. Not even this McNally. We'll put you under for a couple of weeks and then we'll bring her in as a girlfriend or whatever."

Sam nodded. It was going to be hard to keep this from Andy. He didn't even know if she wanted to do this. This whole situation had so many 'maybes' that it made him feel nervous and uncomfortable. It had to be that way, though. Secrecy was the only thing that would keep him alive. "How are we going to get me out with everyone knowing I'm undercover."

Gary laughed sardonically; he was wondering the same thing. "I don't know. But we have to make it look like you're suspended or removed from the force. So, you're going to have to do something crazy."

Sam wasn't too keen on the idea. "I don't know, Gary, I want to be able to come back to work when this all over."

"Sam I don't want anyone to know you're doing this. For all we know Dragg could have someone on the inside. It's for your safety."

Sam hadn't thought of the possibility before but it made sense. If he was going to do this, it was going to be all the way. He just hoped that Andy feel the same.

"Let me think about this, and I'll call you. For now, just go back to work and pretend like everything is normal. You'll hear from me before the end of the week." Gary put the car in gear and headed back toward Sam's house. The two men didn't talk as both were lost in their own world of thought.

Gary dropped Sam off a couple of blocks from his house as he sped off in the opposite direction. Shoving his hands in his pockets, Sam walked down the snowy sidewalk. The early morning sun warmed the back of his neck, as he remained lost in thought. He wanted to go home and tell Andy everything but he couldn't. He didn't like keeping secrets from her although he knew that everything would come out eventually. What if she wanted nothing to do with this? What if she wanted nothing to do with him? He couldn't stand by and pretend like everything was ok though. If the situation was reversed he knew that Jimmy would do anything and everything he could. Even if it meant he might lose his own life.

As he slid his key into the door, Sam took a deep breath and put on the most normal, casual face he could muster. Quietly stepping inside the house he felt a wave of welcomed heat wash over him. Careful not to make any noise he tiptoed into the kitchen. Andy was still asleep on the couch. Pausing for a moment he watched as the early morning sunshine bathed her in a warm, peaceful glow. Smiling he walked into his bedroom. This was going to kill him.

* * *

><p>The next few days went by without any major incident. As predicted, the department launched a full on search for Jimmy's killer. Of course they were getting nowhere. Sam went along with everything as if he didn't know any better, although he hated himself for lying to Andy. A few times he thought that she might be on to something although he always managed to talk his way out of things successfully. He attempted to have the right amount of interest in the search for Jimmy's killer while he knew that their efforts were useless. Gary was right, there was only one way to solve this.<p>

By the end of the third day Sam was becoming more nervous as he waited for the call. Tapping his fingers on the steering wheel he tried not to fidget too much as he waited for the light to turn green. In the passenger seat Andy eyed him suspiciously. Ever since the night Jimmy was killed, Sam had been on edge. It wasn't like him although she reluctantly gave him the benefit of the doubt. If Traci or Dov or anyone else at 15 was shot, she would be more than a little upset until they found the killer. Still it wasn't like Sam to be so wound up, and she wished for the old Sam back.

Following him up the stairs of his house Andy gathered some snow in her gloves as she patted down a perfect snowball. Stepping back she launched it at the back of his head.

Sam felt the coldness running the down back of his neck as he turned around. Andy was smiling at him with that smile that he had begun to love. Laughing a little he brushed the back of his jacket off. Seeing his plan for retaliation, she backed up as he came down the stairs toward her.

"Oh, so that's how you're going to be?" Grabbing an armful of snow he chucked it in her direction. Andy turned quickly in an attempt to avoid the onslaught of coldness that was headed her way. Laughing she was caught off guard as Sam playfully tackled her into the snow.

"Oh shit. Sam! Stop!" Pushing him down she rolled on top of him as she batted snow into his face. For the first time since Jimmy died, Sam could feel himself relaxing if only for a moment. Smiling at her they wrestled around in his front yard for a few more minutes. Finally out of breath they both laid in the snow laughing. "See I knew I could get you to smile." Andy sat up as she grinned at him triumphantly.

"Oh really, McNally. I didn't know I had a problem with that." Pushing himself up he sat there staring at her. He needed to tell her something. He couldn't stand the idea of leaving her confused and alone. Sam knew that he had become her shoulder to lean on through this whole Luke fiasco and he couldn't bear the thought of betraying her trust. He would be no better than Luke. Taking her hand in his for a moment he regarded her seriously. "Andy I need to tell you something."

The smile faded from her face as she felt his fingers tighten around her hand. She immediately felt nervous. Whatever this was, it wasn't going to be good. Sam stared at their hands for a moment before looking her straight in the eye. "Something is going to happen that you aren't going to understand. It's going to make you feel confused and upset and believe me hurting you is the last thing I want to do." He could see the concern mounting on her face. "I just…I need you to remember who you are and who I am. Do you trust me?"

Sam was scaring her. Automatically she replied with the truth, "Of course I trust you."

Nodding his facial features softened slightly. "Ok, then I need believe me when I say that I would do anything for you. I know that this doesn't make any sense right now, but it will soon. I need you to hang in there until it does, ok?"

Although his words made no sense the amount of sincerity that was behind made her feel like this was the most important thing that he had ever told her. "Ok." Sam was thankful that she didn't have any questions, although her body language told him that she was full of apprehension.

"Andy, don't be scared. I'm always going to be there for you…." Reaching up he touched the side of her face affectionately. "I know this is confusing but I need you to believe it and to trust in what I am telling you."

Smiling a little she met his eyes, "I trust you, Sam. I trust you."

Sighing he sat there staring at her hoping that everything would work out for the best.

* * *

><p>Relations between Andy and Sam had become slightly more strained than usual in the days that followed their heart to heart on the front lawn. Sam wasn't helping matters as he became more and more nervous for things to be set in motion. He tried to bring up any other subject between them but usually failed as they often found themselves in the midst of an awkward silence.<p>

Sam and Andy had just brought someone into the barn. Andy was still in back processing the guy as Sam sat down at one of the desks. Kicking his feet up he rocked back in the chair. Pinching his eyes shut he allowed himself a moment of peace.

The sound of his cell phone ringing almost made him jump out of his chair. "This is Swarek."

"Ok here's what you have to do." It was Gary's voice. Sam immediately sat up straight as he cautiously looked around for anyone who could be eavesdropping. "Two of your cops are going to be bringing in a man. They think he's the one who killed Jimmy. You'll know him as someone different." Sam listened intently as Gary continued; "They're going to be bringing him in through the sally port where several of the bosses are going to be waiting. I want you to go down there and I want you to beat the hell out of him."

"In front of everyone? You want me to beat a handcuffed prisoner?" Sam didn't like this idea much. If he ever wanted to return to life as a normal cop a stunt like this would make that very difficult.

"I don't have time for this, Sammy. We talked about this! If you value your life and the life of this McNally broad you'll make it look good. The only one who can know about this is me! Not your friends, or your family, or even the boss. To them, it's just going to seem like you went crazy and got suspended. No one can know, Sam. No one."

Sam didn't like putting his entire existence in Gary's hands, but really he didn't have a choice. Watching as the wave of cars came around the station, Sam knew that it was time. "Alright, Gary. I'll see you on the other side." Hanging up the phone he started toward the sally port as he caught sight of Andy coming toward him. Pausing he smiled at her for a moment before making a beeline toward the back. He didn't have much time to do this. Andy looked confused and startled as Sam barely acknowledged her before hustling toward the back door.

Not only were all the bosses at 15 back there but also some of the higher ups in the department as he suddenly wondered if he was making a mistake. There was a tense silence as Shaw and Diaz unloaded the man from the back seat. Sam paused for a moment when he saw Steve Brown, the informant that supposed to be his introduction with the Draggs, emerge from the car. Standing there his mind flashed back to Jimmy lying on the pavement. The terrified look on his face. The way he gasped for air as Sam stood by helpless. He remembered the way that his blood tasted as he gave him mouth to mouth. And he remembered the way that's Jimmy's lifeless body felt underneath his hands and he and Andy struggled to bring him back to life. This was it; there was no turning back now.

Pushing his way through the crowd Sam wound up as he landed a punch directly into the side of Steve's face. The unexpected jolt caused Diaz to lose his hold on the prisoner as Brown crumpled to the ground. Sam saw his opportunity and was on top of the man in seconds as he continued pummeling him. "This is for Jimmy you piece of shit!" Startled gasps emerged from the crowd as it took both Diaz and Shaw to pull Sam off of the prisoner. Sam breathed heavily as they pushed him to the side.

"Jesus Christ, Sammy get a hold of yourself." Oliver looked around nervously as he saw the shock on everyone's face.

"Get out of my way, Shaw." Pushing Oliver aside, Sam stalked after Diaz and Steve as they entered the processing area. Jumping onto Steve's back, both he and Sam went tumbling to the ground as he continued to beat the living shit out of the unsuspecting informant.

"He's crazy! He's crazy! Get him off me! Someone help." Steve was doing his part to sell the performance as he gasped for air in between screams.

"Go to hell you worthless bastard." It took both Best and Shaw to finally peel Sam off of his victim.

"Get him out of here!" Best yelled for Diaz to move the prisoner to another area as he and Shaw pushed Sam through the door and into the main area of the division. "I don't know what the hell is the matter with you right now! But you are done!" Best's angry voice told Sam that he had done a good job making his little performance believable. Feeling a bit of internal satisfaction he allowed them to move him out of the processing area. Before they left, however, Sam caught sight of at least one smiling a face in the crowd. Gary stood talking to one of the bosses pretending to look shocked although Sam could see the way his lips turned up slightly with approval.

"I cannot believe that you just did that! In my office now!" Sam followed as Best led him toward the office, largely unconcerned about the ramifications of his actions. Why should he be worried? Everything was going just as planned. His satisfaction was short lived, however, as he caught sight of Andy. She had seen everything and for the first time since they had met he saw fear in her. His heart broke as she stared at him wide eyed and full of panic. Making eye contact he held her gaze for a moment before mouthing the words, _"Trust me."_

**Above lyrics are from 3 Doors Down "When I'm Gone"**

**Thanks for all the great reviews! I LOVE them and they make me write faster!**


	5. Look After You

"**The Blood of Strangers"**

**Author: **carmen_085

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Rookie Blue or any of the characters in it

**Summary: **After breaking off her engagement with Luke, Andy goes undercover with Swarek in a high profile drug case that will put both of their lives in danger

**Chapter 5**

"_It's always to have and never hold_

_You've begun to feel like home_

_What's mine is yours to leave or take_

_What's mine is yours to make your own" _

Andy walked home alone. Her boots scraped along the sidewalk as she tried to make sense of a million different things. Delicate snowflakes stuck to her hair as they fell silently to the ground. Andy hadn't had much stability in her life. Her mother disappeared when she was only ten years old. She sure never saw that coming. One minute they were having a tea party the next she was gone. And not gone in a sad way like she had died but gone in an unforgivable way like she just didn't want a family anymore. Like she didn't want a daughter anymore. Her father did everything he could to raise her in a loving supportive environment but every now and then he just got too tired of trying, and Andy would find him passed out on the floor. Then there was Luke. She thought that she had found stability for the first time in her life. He was dependable, he was trustworthy, and he was supportive. Luke was everything that she always wanted. Turns out, though, that he was everything she had already had. Dishonest, uncaring, and untrustworthy; he broke her heart and any shred of trust that she had been able to save from a life of disappointment.

Then there was Sam. Although their relationship hadn't always been good, he had never been anything but one hundred percent honest with her. As she would come to discover, he was one of the most genuine and trustworthy people that she had ever met. Sam never held back. For better or worse he always said exactly what he thought. A lot of people thought he was a jackass, but Andy thought of herself as lucky to know him as something else. Sam was her best friend. Partner or not he had been there for her in a way that she never expected. It was more than a friend; it was like they had this really great secret that no one else knew. As long as she was with Sam, no one else mattered.

Andy just couldn't believe what she had seen tonight. No matter how angry or upset he was, Sam never lost control of himself like that. It was scary and Andy couldn't help but to feel a sudden distance between them. She thought that she knew him; she thought that she knew him better than anyone else. Maybe she was wrong; maybe what she saw tonight was the real Sam. Shaking her head, Andy refused to believe that. Closing her eyes, she remembered the way he looked at her, and the way he touched her, and the way he comforted her and held her. She remembered what it felt like to have his arm wrapped around her, and the way that his hand felt in her own. She knew who Sam was, and no matter what happened she would hold onto that and believe in it.

"_Something is going to happen that you aren't going to understand. It's going to make you feel confused and upset and believe me hurting you is the last thing I want to do. I just…I need you to remember who you are and who I am. Do you trust me?"_

Andy waited for Sam to come out of Best's office for what seemed like forever. She had almost fallen asleep at one of the desks when Jerry came over and told her that Sam had already left. Why would he leave without her? Feeling slightly hurt she got up and hurried to change. Andy checked the parking lot before leaving the station. Sam's truck was missing. She couldn't believe that he had just left her there. Not sure of what to do next, she started walking. She felt a little embarrassed going back to Sam's house when he didn't even have the courtesy to give her a ride home. Still she felt like something was going on. All of this was so unlike Sam that she couldn't help but to wonder if this had something to do with Jimmy. Ever since the night he died, Sam hadn't quite been himself. He seemed tense and worried, and then there was that cryptic conversation they had a few nights ago. He had told her everything and nothing in a few short sentences. She just didn't know it yet.

As she rounded the corner, Andy's eyes fell on Sam's truck parked on the street. Walking up to the door, she pulled out the key that he had given her. Andy half expected him to be sitting there as she swung open the door. The house was dark, however. Slowly flicking on the lights she cautiously looked around. Nothing seemed to be out of order aside from the obvious. Sam was nowhere to be found. Dropping her bag in the hallway she unbuttoned her jacket and threw it on the table. Crossing her arms over her chest everything was quiet, as she suddenly felt uncomfortable. Maybe she should find somewhere else to stay. Shoulders slumping, she realized that really she had nowhere else to go, at least not tonight. Sitting down on the couch, Andy's brain wracked with possibilities. Any normal person would have been in full panic mode by now, although, Andy couldn't shake the feeling that all of this had been planned. Eyes drifting down to the book on the coffee table, Andy noticed a white scrap of paper peeking out from between the pages. Picking the book up she ran her hands over the blue cover. "The History of Love", laughing to herself she never expected to find such a thing in her partner's possession. Hesitantly, she opened the book. Lifting the white piece of paper, she stared at the words reading them over and over.

'_Andy,_

_I promise I'll come back for you. _

_Sam'_

One sentence. It didn't say much but really it said everything that she needed to know. He would come back for her. He wasn't lost. He would come back. She just needed to wait and hope that everything would be ok until then. Folding the paper up she stood up from the couch. Walking toward the bedroom she paused in the doorway for a moment. Flipping on the light, she smiled as she felt him everywhere. Andy sat down on the bed as she ran her fingers back and forth over the paper in her hands. Lying down, she pulled the covers up to her chin. Closing her eyes, she inhaled deeply. She could smell him and the comforting illusion momentarily relaxed her. In the dark, Andy laid there staring at the ceiling. As hard as it was, she needed to trust Sam and believe that he knew what he was doing but more importantly that he would come back for her.

* * *

><p>Sam stood in the middle of his new home. Looking around he had to admit that it was worse than he expected. Dropping his bags on the floor, Sam walked over to the bed and sat down. His eyes moved between the refrigerator and the worn sofa in the corner. Sparse was an understatement. At least he came prepared this time. Two years ago when he was undercover he didn't bring anything with him and boy did he regret it. It took him weeks to make that place livable. Opening the duffel bag on the floor he pulled out sheets and a blanket. Making the bed, he mind began to wander toward thoughts of Andy. What was she doing right now? Had she found the note he left her? Sam felt beyond horrible about running out on her like that but it was necessary. She would eventually understand why he did what he did. For right now, though, he just hoped that she would be able to keep the wondering and worrying at bay so as not to attract any unnecessary attention to the situation.<p>

Gary seemed pretty convinced that someone within the department could be responsible. The thought was not one that Sam liked to dwell on. Not only did the idea make him sick, it also frightened him. If it was one of their own, they would never be able to prove it. Sam also knew the lengths that a cop would go to protect himself would be extreme and he wasn't sure if he was ready to deal with that. On top of that , the cardinal sin in the department was to rat out one of your own. Sam didn't put much stock in the blue wall of silence though. What he did believe in was the concept of right and wrong, and if he could prove that a cop was responsible he didn't' care if it cost him his career he would beat on every door until someone listened to him.

Sighing, Sam reeled himself back to reality. He was considering scenarios that were probably not even remotely true. A little work and he was sure that he would find someone within Dragg's organization. It was the only truly logical explanation. A knock at the door tore Sam away from his thoughts. Sliding his gun into the back of his jeans he took an uncertain look around before slowly opening the door.

"Sammy! What's up!" Steve Brown stood in the hallway with a black eye. Sam scowled at him.

"Get in here! What's wrong with you? You can't be using my real name!" Brown rolled his eyes as he gave himself the short tour of Sam's new place.

"Oh right, sorry. What's your name this time?" Leaning against the wall, Sam couldn't help but to be slightly annoyed by Steve's nonchalance. Did he not know what happened to Jimmy? This operation was dangerous and Sam hoped that he wouldn't act like a retard in front of Dragg's people.

"JD. It's always JD. You know that." Steve walked over to the window and stared down at the street. Laughing a little he abruptly turned around.

"I've been here before. I knew it when I came in. My buddy used to live here." Putting his hands on his hips, he looked around surveying the place. "I didn't know Narcotics owned this joint."

Sam got a little nervous at JD's revelation. Most of the cover apartments that were used had been in operation for a while. That's how the team knew that they were good places; location, proximity, and escape routes if everything went to hell. Why would Gary put him in a location that had never been used for such a dangerous operation? Swallowing back his apprehension, Sam was beginning to wonder why Steve had stopped by in the first place.

"So, Steve, what's going on?" The older man ran his fingers over the worn couch before shrugging his shoulders.

"I don't know. I thought I'd drop by and see if you wanted to beat me up a little more, maybe give me another black eye to match the one from last night."

Sam exhaled loudly, he was a little surprised to see the damage when Steve walked in. He didn't think that he was hitting him that hard. "I'm sorry about your face. Gary wanted me to make it look good. What was I supposed to do?"

Laughing it off, Steve shook his head, "Forget about it. This isn't the first time I've ever had a black eye you know." Suddenly turning serious, Steve regarded Sam with a business like approach, "Two of Dragg's guys invited me to a meeting over at some shit hole on North Fayette. I've been moving a lot of product for them recently and they're pleased. What do you say to a little meet and greet?"

Sam didn't think that things would be starting this soon but either way he wasn't about to turn the opportunity down. "Yeah sure." Turning to grab his jacket, Sam felt the cool metal of his gun against the bare skin of his back.

The two men started to leave before Brown turned and paused. "I think you should leave the gun here." Sam's brain immediately clicked into overdrive. How did he even know that he had a gun? Smiling a little Brown shook his head, "I know you have a gun. I don't even need to see it to know it. Look, they're probably going to pat us down. Dragg pretty much owns this place. It's going to look suspicious if you're bringing a gun to a business meeting. You want them to like you, remember? You want them to trust you."

Although Steve's mind was often clouded by the white-hot haze of cocaine, he still knew the streets like no one else. More than a knowledge base, the rhythm of the criminal underworld was something that he felt and moved with accordingly. It was a dance that didn't take any conscious thought. He probably didn't even know that he was doing it. Now, it was Sam's job to find a way to cut into that dance and move in way that made him seem like he belonged.

Reluctantly Sam conceded that Steve was probably right. Still it didn't make him feel all that comfortable to be taking advice from junkies. That was undercover though. Being able to trust people you wouldn't normally trust and being able to act in ways you wouldn't normally act. Stuffing his gun between the mattresses, Sam followed Steve out of the building.

The street was quiet as they started on their short walk toward the bar. Stuffing his hands into his pockets, Sam began to take mental notes. For a while, he would have to be his own back up. So he began surveying his new surroundings with a practiced eye. When shit hit the fan, you never know what might just save your life.

"So, what's this I hear about you bringing your girlfriend in on this." Steve's abrupt question jolted Sam from his thoughts. He wasn't sure if they were in character or not. Was Steve asking him if Andy was actually his girlfriend or was he just making small talk already using the cover story. Sam didn't know but they were out on the street so he assumed that they were in character. At least he hoped they were in character. You never knew who could be lingering around a dark corner listening in.

"Yeah, we'll see. If they have a job for me then she might come live with me. I don't know man, I need money first." Steve nodded translating the sentence from street speak to reality. Sam needed confirmation that he was in before introducing another undercover to the mix. Although Steve did acknowledge that a woman was far less suspicious than a man. Unless of course, she was inexperienced and gave herself away.

"Your girl, she been in the game long?" He wanted to know how long she had been a cop and whether she was going to screw this up and burn them both.

Sam smirked a little at the double-sided conversation that they were having. "She's been in long enough." Andy's experience was none of Steve's concern. He was nothing more than a well-informed street level dealer and feind that had the privilege of earning drug money through the Toronto Police Department.

Finally, just as Sam was tiring of Steve's backhanded questioning they arrived at the bar. Sam had never seen or heard of this place before. He wasn't even sure what the name of the place was. A flashing neon sign in the window has every other letter burnt out. Inside the bar was dark as a thick cloud of smoke hung heavy in the air. Immediately two men approached from the back. Without being prompted Steve lifted his arms in the air as the larger men patted him down. After a few seconds they nodded Steve into the bar. Laughing he watched as they commenced to run their hands all over Sam.

"Now be careful with my friend, there fellas. He's new so he might not enjoy your groping the way that I do." Neither of the hefty enforcers appeared amused. When they were satisfied that neither men posed an imminent threat they led them through the bar and into a back room. Sitting around a table were two men that Sam didn't recognize. "Mike! Tony! What's up?" Steve walked into the room like he owned the place.

"Who the hell is this?" An average sized man with dark hair and menacing eyes immediately stood up.

"Mikey, Mikey, relax, man. This is my buddy, JD." Sam needed to find a way to diffuse this situation and put them at ease. They already didn't like him and that was not the way he wanted to start this off.

"Oh Steve, you told me they knew. C'mon, this isn't cool." Leaning forward Sam extended his hand so that the angry one could shake it. The man eyed him suspiciously as he made no attempt to take the offer. "Hey man that's cool. I just got out of Kingston and my buddy Steve here said you might have some work but if this is a bad time." Sam threw up his hands in resignation. He had got out what he wanted to without forcing himself into the situation too much. "Alright, I'll catch you later Steve." As Sam turned to leave he heard someone clear his throat.

"Hey man you can stay." The gangster who had previously been silently had fallen into the trap Sam laid. He gave them just enough to get them interested without seeming too eager.

"What? We don't even know him." Disgusted Mike sat back down at the table.

"Relax Mike, it's cool." Tony gestured for Sam to take a seat. Casting a wary glance at Mike, Sam tried his best to seem likeable.

"So guys what's going on?" It was clear that Steve was prompting the other two for praise regarding his latest work on the street.

Leaning back in the chair Tony smiled clearly satisfied with Steve. "We're very happy, Steve. You're moving more product than anyone else." Steve was almost giddy with the prospects of a promotion laid out right in front of him. "We want to move you up. More responsibilities." Steve was thrilled.

"That's great, guys. I'm glad you're happy with the way things have been going." The news didn't only make Steve happy, it also made Sam hopeful that he had an opportunity.

"Now, JD, what exactly are you looking for?" Shrugging his shoulders, Sam smiled slightly.

"I just need a job. Most employers run when they hear I did time."

"What kind of experience do you have?" Mike narrowed his eyes at Sam clearly asking why he was in jail.

"I've had a couple of possession charges and a weapons charge that some bastard out of 27 Division trumped up to get himself a promotion. Nothing too major, you know. Just hazards of the job." He didn't want to come off as a hardened criminal. If you lay it out there that you can kill, then they will without a doubt want you to kill. So he made himself seem legitimate in small time affairs. Mike stared at him for a while before nodding his head. He was beginning to come around.

"I think there's an opening at Highland, isn't there, Tony?"

Tony nodded. It was a low level job in one of the distribution warehouses but they needed a warm body to fill it. JD seemed like an all right guy. They had no reason not to trust him.

"Well JD we do have an opening in one of our warehouses. If that's alright with you." It was alright, it was more than alright. He needed to find an in somewhere.

"That's great, man! I really could use the money and…" Before Sam could finish a woman walked into the back room. Snaking her arm around Tony's neck she leaned down and nibbled at his cheek.

"Baby, we're talking business here." Tony was torn between being embarrassed and loving every minute of it. The woman was a little older than Sam with long blonde hair and luscious lips. Her outfit left nothing to the imagination as she swiveled her hips so that they were planted firmly in Tony's lap.

"Oh c'mon Tony. Don't play that just because we have company."

Sam smiled at the woman slightly intrigued. "It's true, JD. I'd be lost without her. She takes care of all the accounts and so much more." The last part of Tony's statement made Sam a little sick as a mental image of the two in bed involuntarily appeared in his mind. Despite this, it made him hopeful to learn that a major player in the organization was a woman. Another angle they could work if Andy agreed to help him. Nodding his head, he smiled. Maybe this wasn't going to be so hard after all.

* * *

><p>Andy hadn't seen or heard from Sam in nearly two weeks. Not that she was counting or anything. The days at work drug by as she waited and hoped. She was still staying at Sam's house, although she had begun to look for an apartment of her own. She couldn't stay there forever, and who knew when Sam was going to come back. No one at the station had heard a word about him. Best had suspended him indefinitely following the incident with Jimmy's alleged killer. Much to everyone's surprise the man that Sam had assaulted was released the next day. No one could believe that they had got the wrong guy, and worse yet that Swarek had possibly thrown his career away over a horrible mistake. That was everyone except Andy. All along she had her suspicions that the whole scenario had been staged and that Sam was undercover. Of course she kept theses thoughts to herself and just pretended to be as shocked as everyone else.<p>

The days were long and she was exhausted from putting up a front that she wasn't even certain would be substantiated. As she walked home in silence Andy's attention was everywhere but the present. She barely noticed as a black Jeep pulled up behind her although her cop instincts kicked in as she heard footsteps approaching. She wondered if she had enough time to make a run for it. She felt hands on her back as she dropped her bag and began sprinting down the street. They chased her and before she knew it, they pushed her roughly to the ground. Hitting the concrete with a loud thug, she struggled to get up but they were too quick for her. Within seconds they were on top of her binding her hands. She wanted to scream. Someone was sure to hear, right? A gloved hand came up and covered her mouth as she shook her head violently to either side. Almost instantly she felt the hands being replaced with a sticky piece of duct tape. The two men pushed her toward the jeep as they put a black pillowcase over her head. She was dead. This was it, they were going to rape her and kill her and there was nothing that anyone was going to do about it. Kicking and resisting she screamed from underneath the tape. The men were too strong for her, though, as they quickly shoved her into the back seat of the car. Slamming the door, Andy knew that it was all over for her. Once they get you in the car, that's it.

The men were completely silent as they got into the front seat and began to drive. Andy was shaking as she struggled with the tape around her wrists. Beneath the black pillowcase she could see the streetlights as they passed. The jeep was picked up speed as she struggled to think of a way out. Suddenly she felt someone sitting next to her. She didn't even know that someone else was in the backseat. Oh God they were going to start with her right in the car. The person who was next to her put their arm around her shoulders as they leaned in close. Andy thought about fighting as she felt someone press their lips against her ear through the cotton material. Hot breath tickled the inside of her ear as she heard a low, easily recognizable voice.

"I'm here with you. Don't worry, everything is going to be ok." It was Sam. She wanted to scream. She didn't need to see him she would recognized his voice anywhere. Initially she was elated; maybe she wasn't being kidnapped although her joy was short lived as she began to consider the possibility that they had both been taken prisoner.

Andy wasn't sure how long they drove around as her sense of direction has been completely thrown off by the sack over her head. All that she knew was that Sam stayed right next to her. They weren't speaking but she could feel his body pressed against hers and that was enough. Eventually the jeep came to a stop as she heard the front doors open. She felt someone's hands pulled her out of the vehicle as they simultaneously removed the hood. Blinking a few times she struggled to comprehend her surroundings. They were in one of the abandoned industrial parks near the lake. Aside from Sam there were two men that she did not recognize. Pulling the tape from her mouth Sam offered her an apologetic smile.

"I'm sorry about all this, but it's for both of our safety." Andy stared at him mesmerized that he was actually standing in front of her. Untying her hands, Sam threw the duct tape on the ground. Immediately she wrapped her arms around his neck. She didn't care that the other two were watching.

"Oh my God, I can't believe that you're here. I thought something horrible happened to you. No one at the station knows anything and I…" Andy's worried ramblings were abruptly cut off by a man in a long black jacket. Cigarette pursed between his lips he eyed her curiously for a moment before interrupting.

"Sometime today, Swarek." Sam hugged Andy back before pushing her away. Gesturing toward the man, he smiled sheepishly.

"Andy this is Gary Miller. He's the Narcotics sergeant." Andy's mood quickly faded from elation to confusion as her brain began processing the facts at hand. Why had she just been kidnapped? Why was this meeting taking place in an abandoned parking lot? Why was the Narcotics sergeant here staring at her with such disdain? All valid questions that she could find no apparent answers for.

"Alright, well I don't have all night, Swarek. Let's make this quick." Turning, Gary climbed back into his own car as he slammed the door.

Sam didn't really appreciate Gary's impatience. He was putting his ass on the line for this man to solve the murder of another cop. You would think that Gary could have at least tried to be a little more accommodating toward his request for a partner. Rolling his eyes, Sam guided Andy into the backseat of Gary's car.

Closing the door they immersed themselves in a smoky haze. Andy couldn't contain her curiosity any longer. "What's going on?"

Gary thumped his fist on the steering wheel. "You mean she doesn't even know?"

Andy threw a questioning glance between Gary and Sam suddenly feeling like she was missing something very obvious. Sam shook his head more than annoyed, "When was I supposed to tell her, man? You told me not to say anything to anyone!"

"You don't even know if she wants to do this! Forget whether or not she can do it." Stamping his cigarette out, Gary shook his head feverishly. "I knew this was all a waste of time."

Sam didn't understand what the problem was. Gary specifically told him not to tell anyone about this, not even Andy, and now he was acting like that was the last thing he wanted. More concerning than that; however, was the fact that he was obviously very much against Sam having a partner. Whatever it was, he was pissed and Gary was about to get it. Just as Sam began to open his mouth Andy cut in.

"Well, why don't you tell me what the hell is going on and I'll let _you know_ whether you're wasting your time or not." Both men paused, Sam pleased and Gary surprised. Tapping his fingers on the dash, Gary's lips spread into a small smile. Sucking deeply on his cigarette, Gary waited for Sam to speak.

Turning toward Andy, Sam didn't really know where to begin so he just started rambling everything that came to mind. "Ok, I'm undercover, I'm trying to figure out who killed Jimmy. Do you know Joseph Dragg?" Nodding Andy conceded that she was aware. "Well, they think one of Dragg's people killed Jimmy and the only way to figure it out is from the inside. It's dangerous, very dangerous so I can't do it alone and I…"

"I'll do it." She didn't need to hear anymore. He couldn't do it alone, she was his partner, and this is where she needed to be. "Whatever it is, I'll do it."

Sam couldn't lie, the minute he heard those words he felt a warm sensation flood his body. She would do it, no questions asked, no ifs, ands, or buts. She would do it. Staring at her a small smiled played across his lips. He couldn't think of a single person that he wanted to be with right now more than her.

"Well, fantastic, it's settled then. You two work out the details, I'll send her stuff over tomorrow. Now if you don't mind…" Trailing off it was clear that Gary had no desire to entertain their company any longer. Staring at them expectantly through the rearview mirror, Sam and Andy took it as their cue to exit the vehicle.

Standing in the cold they watched as Gary sped down the road. Walking toward the jeep the two men who had brought them there waited expectantly. Sam was deeply touched by her dedication to him, although, he couldn't shake the nagging feeling in his stomach that Andy didn't understand what she was about to get into. Pulling her behind the jeep, he touched her arm gently.

"Andy…" his voice was barely above a whisper. "I need you to understand what you're getting yourself into here. Undercover work is dangerous and it's stressful. You need to leave your entire life behind your friends, family, coworkers, everything. You need to become someone you're not and you need to force yourself to do things that you would never do. It isn't easy and I don't want you to do this just because of me."

Andy was silent, as she comprehended everything that Sam had just said. Reaching out, he softly stroked the side of her face. "I just need you to be sure that this is what you want."

Swallowing hard, Andy stared into her partner's eyes. "Sam, there's no place I rather be right now than here with you. I want to do this. You're my partner, I've got your back no matter what."

Sighing, Sam resigned himself to the situation. For better or worse they were in this together.

**Above lyrics are from The Fray "Look After You"**

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	6. Running Blind

"**The Blood of Strangers"**

**Author: **carmen_085

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Rookie Blue or any of the characters in it

**Summary: **After breaking off her engagement with Luke, Andy goes undercover with Swarek in a high profile drug case that will put both of their lives in danger

**Chapter Six**

"_Promises have been turned to lies_

_Can't even be honest inside_

_Now I'm running backwards _

_Watching my life wave me good bye"_

Andy kept her eyes trained on the floor as she sat before her sergeant. She wasn't a very good liar. She obviously needed to work on that.

"So let me get this straight, you're resigning from the force? Do you understand what you're doing here?" Squinting at her skeptically, Best couldn't believe his ears. Andy chewed her lower lip as she raised her head. To make this believable she would need to at least look him in the eye.

"Yes sir. I understand." She stared right at him hoping that he would buy her front and not prolong the situation.

"Does this have something to do with Swarek?" It had everything to do with Sam. This morning during parade, Best had announced that Sam had been officially terminated from the force. If it had been up to him, he would have given Swarek a stiff reprimand but he wouldn't have fired him. It wasn't up to him, though, as this decision had come down from the top. There were a few shocked gasps in the room, although, most saw this coming.

"Well, truthfully sir, I don't have much interest in doing this job anymore. This place used to feel like home but now I just…I just don't feel like I belong here anymore. First Luke, now Sam's gone. I think I need a fresh start." It was essentially the truth. Keep your story as close to the truth as possible and they'll buy it every time. Sam told her that just before they went undercover as Gabe and Edie.

Best leaned back in the chair and exhaled loudly. He had no reason to suspect that anything was going on, although he wished that he could change her mind.

"Well, I think you should at least sleep on it, McNally." She didn't have time to sleep on it; she was meeting Sam tonight. She needed to get this done now, but she also couldn't seem too eager.

Taking a deep breath she kept her facial expressions as neutral as possible. "I have thought about this, sir. It's what I want." Before he could try to talk her out of it again, Andy stood up. Placing her ID and badge on the desk she paused for a moment before turning to leave. "Thank you for everything, sir." Best watched in surprise as Andy walked quickly toward the door. He just couldn't believe this.

Andy took a few deep breaths as she walked toward the locker room. She wondered if Best bought it or if he saw right through her charade. Either way she had surrendered her badge and ID just like Sam had told her. Gary was very keen on making sure that no one in the department had any idea that either her or Sam were undercover. He apparently thought that there could be mole on the inside that ratted Jimmy out to the Dragg's people. So as far as anyone in the department knew, Sam had been fired and Andy had resigned. They were putting a lot of trust in Gary and she wasn't sure if that was necessarily a good idea. Andy wasn't so sure if this whole situation was a good idea, but she really had no choice in the matter. Sam needed her to back him up. She trusted that he knew what he was doing. So she was in, despite her misgivings, because he needed her and she wouldn't let him down.

Shoving her clothing and person effects into a backpack Andy didn't hear Traci come in until it was too late.

"What are you doing? The shift isn't over yet." Andy cringed when she heard Traci's voice. She didn't want to have to lie to her friend, but she had no choice.

"I resigned." She couldn't look up. She knew that Traci was going to lose it.

"What? What are you talking about? Andy, are you serious?" Andy stopped for a moment taking a deep breath. This is what Sam was talking about. Friends, family, co-workers; she needed to leave it all behind. She needed to begin a life that she didn't want and do things that quite frankly repulsed her. First on the list would be looking her best friend in the eye and lying to her.

Looking up at Traci, Andy steeled herself. She needed to make this good. Her life and Sam's life depended on it. "I resigned today. I just need a fresh start, Trace. I can't…I can't stay here after everything that happened with Luke and now Sam. I need to go away and just concentrate on myself for a little while."

Traci acknowledged that it had been a rough couple of weeks for her friend, although she thought that this was a little extreme. "Where are you going to go?" Oh and it was already time to lie again. Andy thought that she had given Traci a believable enough explanation but apparently not.

"I have some family in New York. I was thinking about moving there for a while, get myself together, work down there, you know?" Andy was a little unnerved with how easily the lies rolled off her tongue. Traci stood there staring at her, speechless. She couldn't believe this. Shutting her locked Andy offered Traci an apologetic smile. "I'll miss you Trace. I'm sorry about all this." Hugging her friend Andy was satisfied with the truth behind her last statement. She would miss Traci and Chris, Dov, and maybe even Gail. More than that, though, she was sorry. Sorry that she had just looked her best friend in the eye and lied without even flinching.

Andy let go of Traci and moved toward the door, leaving her friend to contemplate what had just happened. Thankfully, she was able to make it out of the barn before anyone else could stop her. Walking the eight blocks back to Sam's house, Andy was under strict orders to wait until dark before sneaking out the back. She would walk almost a half-mile to the corner of Guerlain Street and Thieriot Ave. There would be a car waiting for her with the keys under the front mat. A phone would be in the glove box along with her new identification cards. She was to call Sam on the phone and work out a place to meet. Andy went over the game plan a hundred times as she paced around Sam's house waiting for the sun to go down. She contemplated calling her dad but decided against it. She couldn't tell him she was going undercover and he wouldn't believe any bullshit story that she tried to feed him. They hadn't spoken in several months and she thought that it was best to leave things the way that they were.

Andy sat down at the kitchen counter staring at the items in front of her. Her driver's license and ID cards, her service pistol, and a duplicate of her Police ID. Unbeknownst to Best, Andy had gone down to headquarters earlier in the day and requested a new ID. Telling them that she lost the original, she was happy that they seemed indifferent to her request and within twenty minutes she had two IDs. One that she would give to Best, the other she would stash away just in case everything went to hell. Taking out the lock box that she usually kept her gun in, Andy placed all of the items inside before shutting the lid. These sum total of her existence as Andy McNally was in that box. Locking it, she placed the key in her pocket. Staring at the box, Andy was lost in thought as a sudden pounding at the door jolted her back to reality.

Who the hell could that be? Hesitantly, Andy edged toward the door. Standing on her tiptoes Andy peered through the peephole. She almost swore out loud when she saw Luke standing on the stoop. What the hell did he want? Nervously, she glanced around the house. It was almost dark, maybe she should just pretend like no one was home. Maybe he would leave. "ANDY! We need to talk!"

Jesus! He was loud. She needed to get rid of him before he attracted any unwanted attention. Slowly opening the door, she was careful not to allow him inside.

"What the hell do you want?" Luke was the last person she wanted to see right now. They hadn't spoke since the night she left. There was nothing left to say.

He paused for a moment staring at her, "So the rumors are true. We haven't been broken up more than a month and you're already shacked up with Swarek."

Andy's eyes narrowed as she seethed with anger, "Well, Luke we were still engaged and you were shacked up with Jo. So really, I don't think you have any room to talk."

Luke smiled at her bitterly, she was right. Taking a deep breath she stared at the ground for a moment, "Look, Andy, that's not why I came over here."

"Oh really, Luke. Why did you come over here?"

"I heard that you resigned and I just wanted to make sure that it wasn't because of me. I don't think that…." Before he could finish Andy cut him off.

"You are such a pompous asshole, Luke. As usual you think everything is about you."

"Andy… I didn't mean for any of this to happen." Leaning toward her, she saw genuine sorrow in his face. For a moment Andy actually felt a twinge of old feelings for him before she quickly dismissed any sympathy that she had unexpectedly conjured up.

"Are you done, Luke?" She refused to make eye contact with him. This was ridiculous; she just wanted him to go. Staring down at the ground, Andy didn't know what was happening until it was too late. Before she knew it, Luke's lips were pressed against her own. Nearly jumping back in surprise, his hand on the back of her head prevented her from pulling away. The kiss lasted on a few seconds although it seemed like an eternity. Andy would have been lying if she said that she didn't feel anything. Although the reality of Luke repulsed her, he was the man that she had once thought that she would marry. He was the person who she thought she would spend the rest of her life with. So to say that she felt absolutely nothing one month after they broke up would be lying. Somewhere deep inside of her a flicker of hope that everything would go back to normal still existed. For the first time, Andy's life made sense and she felt content. Then everything was turned upside down and she was back to square one.

"You have to leave, Luke." She refused to look at him.

Luke stood there for a moment staring at her. "Andy…"

"No, I want you to leave. Go!" Retreating back into the house, Andy slammed the door. She could see Luke's shadow in the streetlight as she stood on the stoop for a moment before slowly retreating down the stairs. Taking a few deep breaths Andy closed her eyes. She was already wired with the whole undercover thing and this was almost enough to push her over the edge. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. Maybe she should go back to Best's office and tell him she changed her mind. Shaking her head, Andy stood up straight. She needed to go forward no matter how much she wanted to hold onto a past that no longer existed. Turning all the lights off, Andy watched as Luke drove away. Sighing loudly, she grabbed her bags before quietly slipping out the back door. This was it; there was no turning back now. Squeezing between the buildings, Andy slid into the alleyway. Looking over her shoulder she was careful to make sure that no one followed her.

The car was right where Sam said it would be. Looking around, Andy was paranoid that someone had followed her. She just couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. Sliding into the car, she reached into the glove box. Pulling out a brown paper bag she dumped a cheap wallet and cell phone into her lap. Andy smirked when she saw her driver's license. Candace Newman. The picture was the same picture that appeared on her legitimate driver's license. Gary apparently had access to just about anything. Shaking her head, she couldn't believe that out of all the names they could have picked for her they chose Candace. The cell phone already had a few numbers programmed into it although she didn't recognize any of the names. JD, Steve…she didn't know which one was Sam. As she stared at the phone figuring out what to do, a text message caused the appliance to vibrate in her hand.

_Call JD_

Shrugging her shoulders, Andy pressed the send button. Within minutes, Sam's voice came on the other line.

"Andy? Is everything ok?" Breathing a sigh of relief she felt herself relax for the first time that night.

"I'm fine. Just figuring out what to do next."

"Right, you're going to meet me at a bar called Jack's on Northwest 7th street. Do you know where that is?"

"Yeah I think so." Really, Andy was only vaguely familiar with that part of town. "I'll figure it out." There was long pause on the phone before he spoke again.

"Be careful Andy. Make sure that you aren't followed." The hairs on the back of her neck stood up at the mention of being followed. Looking into the rearview mirror the street was empty.

"Ok." She paused a moment. "I'll see you soon."

* * *

><p>Sam sat at the bar smiling as Tony told another story. He was pretending to be amused by the gangster's tale although really he couldn't stop thinking about Andy. Glancing at the doorway he saw her walk into the bar. The burly men who watched the door stepped up to her, as Sam quickly excused himself from the table.<p>

"She's with me, guys. She's cool." The men stepped aside as Sam wrapped his arm around Andy. "I missed you, baby!" Planting a kiss right on her lips, Sam hoped that Andy would get the message that they were a couple. He would have preferred to catch her up in what was going on, but Tony and his girlfriend, Irene, had been hounding him about her ever since they found out she was coming to live with him. It wasn't ideal, but in undercover you couldn't pass up the opportunities when they came. So he prayed that after almost two years of working together she would instinctively follow his lead.

"I missed you too, babe!" It was show time. She didn't think that she would have to start so soon but regardless she went with it.

"Hey, JD! Are you going to introduce us or what?" Tony yelled out from the table looking slightly amused.

Sam plastered a lighthearted smile one his face although inside he was a nervous wreck. What happened in this situation was completely on him. If things went wrong he would only have himself to blame.

"Everyone this is my girlfriend, Candace. She's just got in town today." Andy smiled shyly as she extended her hand for Tony to shake.

"Well Candace it's a pleasure. You have excellent taste, JD. She is beautiful." Sam smiled as she pulled Andy close to him. Kissing the side of her head he regarded Tony honestly.

"Oh I know. I'm a lucky guy." Andy didn't miss how the tone of his voice changed. A slight wave of heat filled her cheeks as she realized that he was being completely truthful.

Sitting down at the table, Irene smiled at Sam before speaking up. "JD how did you ever meet this lovely girl?"

Sam rocked back in the chair a little before responding. To everyone else it looked like he was staring longingly at his girlfriend reminiscing about some happy memory. To Andy she could see that he was thinking of something to say.

They looked at him expectantly, wondering what the hold up was. Andy shook her head, as she laughed a little; they needed a quick recovery. "Oh, baby! Don't be embarrassed."

Sam looked at her confused. "Ok, so actually the first time we met I tackled him."

The table erupted in laughter as Sam stared at her dumbfounded. Andy smiled at him reassuringly, "JD was my roommate's friend and I didn't know that he was crashing on the couch one night. So I wake up and he's going through our kitchen cabinets. I don't know if he was drunk or sleepwalking or what. Anyway, he takes off toward the door and I chase him and tackle him. The rest if history." Everyone at the table gasped for air as they nearly keeled over laughing.

Sam smiled at her, impressed that she was able to think on her feet so well. Shrugging his shoulders, he offered a slight explanation, "I was pretty drunk that night."

After breaking the ice, they all settled into comfortable conversation for the next hour or so. Both Tony and Irene took an immediate liking to Andy and Sam was grateful. It was nearly midnight when he saw an opportunity to get out of there.

"Well guys, it's late and I want to get back and spend some time with my girl." Winking at Andy, Sam hoped that the other two would get the hint.

"We should get going too, Tony. We have a busy day tomorrow." Sam wondered what she meant by busy but quickly dismissed the idea of probing her statement any further. Irene then turned to Andy laying a heavily jeweled hand on her arm. "You my dear are just darling. I'm getting my nails done tomorrow night. You should come with me. We can have girl talk." Sighing wistfully Irene offered Andy a pathetic smile. "It's just been so long since I had another woman around here."

Andy smiled enthusiastically at the older woman. She must have been doing something right if Irene already wanted to spend girl time with her. "That sounds great."

Andy and Sam excused themselves from the table. Holding hands they left the bar and stepped out into the cold night. Once outside they walked down the street hand in hand in silence until they rounded the corner.

Exhaling loudly, Sam turned toward her. "I'm sorry about that. I didn't want to just throw you into it like that. It's just they kept asking about you and I didn't want to raise any suspicion and…"Before he could finish Andy interrupted him.

"It's ok. Everything worked out ok, right?"

Sam smiled at her, "It did, thanks to you."

They stood there in silence staring at each other. They were still holding hands when a car pulled up to the curb. The passenger window slowly came down.

"Get the hell in here right now."

Sam and Andy were shocked to see Gary looking rather angry in the driver's seat.

The two silently got into the back of the car before Gary hit the gas. They cruised for a couple of minutes before Gary pulled over. Taking a long drag on his cigarette. He turned around, narrowing his eyes at Andy.

"So tell me, honey, did you tell your blonde haired boyfriend everything or just enough to keep him interested?"

Andy felt the air whoosh from her lungs. She was speechless. Next to her Sam's brow furrowed in confusion.

Gary shrugged his shoulders, "Well then again you, it didn't really look like you were doing much talking."

Sam leaned forward, "What the hell are you talking about, Gary?"

Gary took a long drag on his cigarette, "What? She didn't tell you? Oh yeah, Sammy, your partner here was sucking face with some blonde haired pretty boy a couple of hours ago."

Andy felt sick. It wasn't what it looked like. Sam stared at her. He felt his stomach churn. Beyond the ramifications this could have for this undercover operation, Sam felt nauseas thinking that she had gone back to him. Luke had been right all along. She didn't want him.

"Is it true?" They were the only words he could summon at the moment.

Andy hesitantly met Sam's gaze and immediately felt horrible when she saw the amount of hurt in his eyes.

"Sam it wasn't what it looked like. He showed up, we argued, and then he kissed me. I tried to get away from him but he wouldn't let me go. I told him I wanted nothing to do with him." She wasn't lying although she felt guilty for even considering the idea of taking Luke back.

Sam took a deep breath, before nodding his head. "It's ok. I believe you." And if it was even possible she felt worse. Gary snorted in the front seat.

"Well that's sweet but guess what? He followed you here. After you thought he left, the bastard did circles around the block until he saw you sneaking out the alley. I couldn't believe it! I wanted to literally run you over with my car so that this whole bullshit nightmare I saw playing out would end. I mean, Christ! Do you have any idea what you've done? You've compromised this whole operation!"

Andy shook her head in disbelief. "I was so careful. I didn't see anyone!" Gary lit another cigarette as he shook his head ruefully.

"We are fucked! And it's all because of you!" Andy looked at Sam hoping that he would come to her rescue but instead was met with a look of disappointment.

A thin haze of smoke filled the car as the three sat in silence. Andy buried her head in her hands. How the hell was she going to fix this?

**Above Lyrics are from Godsmack's "Running Blind"**

**Reviews are greatly appreciated !**


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